The Seer
by Batdz Angel
Summary: What if you could change the future? That question begins a chain of events that that has changes happening in the lives of Buffy Summers, the Slayer, and her sister, Dawn, the Key. And it all starts with the arrival of a young woman with familiar eyes.
1. Chapter 1: There is a Silence

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the TV Series. They belong to Joss Whedon and are his wonderful characters. The title of this chapter is taken from a poem by Thomas Hood, a 19th century poet while the remaining chapter titles are from sonnets by William Shakespeare. However, I do own any and all original characters mentioned here. Please do not use them without my consent. I also hope that no one will be offended by my using numerous myths and legends as background, as well as religious deities and other such things.  
**Rating: **R for violence, language, and sexual situations.  
**Pairings: **Spuffy, mentions of Angel/Cordelia, Angel/Original Character.  
**Summary:** What if you could change the future? That question begins a chain of events that that has changes happening in the lives of Buffy Summers, the Slayer, and her sister, Dawn, the Key. And it all starts with the arrival of a young woman with surprisingly familiar eyes.  
**Author's Note: **This starts during the Glory debacle, right after Forever. Also, there is no Buffy-bot, Joyce is gone, Dawn knows she's the Key, but Buffy doesn't know about Spike being in love with her, and the Council hasn't informed Buffy about Glory being a Hellgod. And on with the show!

--

_Chapter One: There is A Silence_

It is a well known fact that as long as there has been a good, there has been evil to counteract it. The equality of balance: light and dark, good and evil, yin and yang. Today, this is balanced out by the demons and the Slayer. Before the Slayer was created though, there is also testament to another power. A purer power. After all, a force created to fight demons from demons isn't quite capable of withstanding the darkness, is it?

This power was neither demonic or angelic in nature; it simply was. Perhaps it was the remainder of the old Earth Magic that Merlin was so adept at manipulating. Or perhaps it was deeper than that; deeper than Time or Space or even reality itself.

It is said that perhaps Arthur himself was connected this power. A mere man who became one of the greatest kings ever to live. A kingdom flush with power and riches. Merlin stood by Arthur's side for many years and Excalibur, the great sword, was Arthur's alone to wield.

Perhaps it was even behind the journey of Achilles and his conquering of Troy. The seer Calchas prophesied what was to be and it was. No other power could have done that.

There have been moments, of course, where that power stayed hidden. Waiting for something.

Waiting for _someone_.

Because of course, the future of the Earth and its inhabitants depend on this power. Sadly to say the last real sight of this power was centuries ago during a nameless war between men. And it has now returned to this time. The twenty-first century.

Of course, the Slayer is a part of it, but so is her sister, the Key, and the Protector, the Vampire. And, no, I am not talking of the one with the soul. Not yet, anyway.

And I feel quite foolish. I have not introduced myself, have I? I have many names, actually. Athena, which is what the Greeks have called me. Minerva is the name that the Romans bestowed upon me. And ridiculously difficult versions that the Chinese and Japanese have given me. Personally, I prefer whichever one you like. I'm not that picky.

Why am I taking my precious time to tell you this tale? To be perfectly frank, I'm bored. Living forever isn't quite what it used to be. Besides that, Selene, or Diana, would never tell this story. She's far too busy.

I'm getting off the subject, aren't I? All right then, let me begin with one simple question:

What if you could change the future?

I see I've caught your attention. I'm sure you're quite familiar with Buffy Summers, the current Slayer on the Hellmouth. Lovely girl, a bit slow on the emotional maturity though. I suspect Artemis didn't want to make her warrior too wimpy. Regardless, she isn't the main character of this tale; although she'll have her moment.

No, this story is about a girl, a power, and a very annoying little being who calls itself the First.

I'm a goddess. The First _is_ little to me. I've been around since before it was even a part of the Good versus Evil tree. And you're trying to distract me with your silly questions. I won't be, you know.

Again, a girl. Normal girl, I suppose. Of course, she was bestowed with the gift of Sight at a young age, around four actually. Well, she always had the power but she couldn't use it. And no, it isn't anything like the vampiress Drusilla's Sight or that stupid little ability the Chase girl was cursed with. No, I am talking of pure Sight. Unhindered, unsullied.

This mysterious power I've been talking about.

There's no name for it. None of the gods have been able to find it or name it or see it. Not even the Jewish God, Yahweh, and he/she's a perfectly good one. No offense to those of you who believe in him/her out there. Wonderful being, Yahweh. Should invite he/she over for drinks...

Oops. I'm doing it again, aren't I? Well, don't look at me like that! I'm a goddess, I can very _well_ take my sweet time!

Oh, fine, fine. I'll tell you the story.

Once upon a time...

And no, I wasn't joking with that opening. Well, it's a perfectly good opening damn it! No, I won't change it! Do you want to hear this story or not? I thought so.

Ahem, once up on a time...

- -

"Hey girl."

She paused at the words, turning her head slightly as she waited. The man, dressed sharply in a business suit, approached her, his expression filled with nervousness. He held out a handful of bills and said, "Take it."

She arched her brow at the money and said, her voice soft, "I'm not a hooker."

He snorted. "Right," he said spitefully. "An _escort_. I've dealt with your kind before." He held the money out, the bills trembling. "Take it!"

She turned slowly and the man screamed at the disfigurement of her face, the amber eyes that glittered maliciously as she said, "If you insist..." before lunging forward, fangs latching onto his throat. She drank greedily, the man's body jerking in her arms, the scent of arousal and fear in the air. When she was done with her meal, she let the body drop and wiped her lips with dainty fingers.

"That," a voice said. "Was sickening."

The vampiress paused as she narrowed her eyes, turning slightly. The voice continued, matter-of-factly as she spun around, trying to locate it. "I mean, really," it said. "He jerked off to your biting him? Sick fuck, I'd have to say."

"Who is that?" the vampiress snarled. "Show yourself!"

"Okay!" the voice said cheerily and the vampiress found herself staring at a young woman around the age of seventeen. She had dark blonde hair pulled into a bun and hazel eyes. Wearing black cargo pants and a black turtleneck with a knee-length black leather coat, the young woman said, "Hi. I'll be the last thing you see this evening."

"Little girl," the vampiress said dangerously. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"And," the girl said. "You don't know what you're about to see. But that's neither here nor there, is it?"

The vampiress snarled and lunged. She never made it to the girl; in fact, the girl's hands flared with silvery-white light as she shoved them forward quickly, her mouth breaking into a smirk as she said, "Told you so!" as the vamp evaporated into nothing. She dusted her hands off and sighed, saying to the empty street, "A girl's work is never done, is it?"

Kneeling, she studied the dead body and shook her head. "This'll teach you," she said to it as she hooked her hands underneath the arms, dragging it a few feet, and placed it in a nearby dumpster. "To not approach strangers." She plucked the wad of bills from his hand and added, "And thanks for the cash."

Reaching behind the dumpers, she pulled out her duffel bag, a guitar case, and slung the bag over her shoulder, stuffing the money into her pocket. Walking off down the street, humming under her breath as she carried the guitar case in her hand. "Sunnydale," she murmured. "Or bust."

As she walked she let her mind wander and found herself at the bus station without realizing it. Shaking her head, she told herself sternly, "So need to remember that I cannot teleport like that..." as she went up to the ticket broker. She bought herself a ticket to Sunnydale, with a stopover in Bakersfield, and went to wait.

Sitting down, she looked around the station, taking in the lack of people and sighing as she realized it was a prime spot for vamps and other such creatures. Looking around, she went over to the bathroom and entered, pausing long enough to expand her senses and finding that no one, living or dead, was present.

Swiftly, she moved, pulling out herbs and a pristine white bowl roughly the size of a basketball. Crushing the herbs in her left hand, she waved her right over it, the same silvery-white light appearing as she chanted softly. The herbs evaporated into the air as gold shimmer and she smiled as she got to her feet, the bowl stowed away in her bag. Leaving the restroom, she looked around again and grinned as she thought, 'And now protection spells for every passenger in here, demon and human alike.'

"Bus 7584 leaving for Sunnydale, California now leaving gate four," the voice over the speaks intoned. "Again, bus 7584 leaving for..."

She hurried over to the gate, duffel slung over her shoulder as she pulled the guitar case close to her breasts. Swallowing sudden fear, she thought, 'Please, let me not be too late...' as she climbed aboard the bus, which held only four other people. Sighing, she sank into a seat in the very back and closed her eyes.

And she Saw.

_Light cracking in the sky, forming from a single drop of blood. Large blue eyes that were staring at the light with fear written in them, fear and understanding. Sorrow and sadness at the fate befalling her..._

_Long, golden hair flying back as she falls..._

"_Live. For me."_

_And Hell comes._

She gasped as she awoke, her heart pounding in her ears as her eyes snapped open suddenly. Her body thrummed with power and she saw the glimmer in her skin, the pale silvery-white hue and peered towards the front. No one noticed, all the other passengers sleeping, and the driver too busy singing along with a tape of Elvis Presley's Greatest Hits. She blinked, slowly, as reality came back to her and exhaled shakily as she murmured, "I won't let that happen. I won't let her die..." as she turned her eyes to stare at the scenery passing by.

The stopover in Bakersfield seemed long and pointless. She stayed in her seat, staring at her hands, at the scar on her right palm, remembering...

Remembering her Calling.

Remembering her Sight.

Remembering her sisters.

She knew them, had known them since she was a child. Since she'd first dreamt of a young girl with blonde hair and eyes like hers in pain. She'd seen it all, from the beginning...

She opened her eyes and murmured, "My name is Luna Summers..."

Her scarred hand reached up and touched the single silver cross around her neck. Her eyes flashed silver as she murmured, "And I'm coming Buffy."

- -

Buffy Summers paused in her kick, pausing as she turned her head slightly. Her Watcher, Rupert Giles, arched his brows at the confusion written in his Slayer's eyes and said, "Buffy?" startling the young woman. She blinked, shaking her head, and turned to him, saying, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Giles asked worry filling him. A memory of Buffy hearing voices, long ago, came to him and he said, "It isn't the mind reading again, is it?"

"What?" Buffy blinked again, then said, "Oh. No, I thought I heard someone say my name..." She trailed off and sighed, saying, "Guess I was hearing things. Sorry Giles. I'm just not up to training today."

Giles smiled slightly and said, "I noticed. I swept you off your feet twice with the staff. That doesn't happen to you. What's bothering you?"

Buffy sighed wearily and said, "Everything. Dawn. Glory. Mom being gone..." She closed her eyes at the pain and shook her head, saying, "I just...how am I supposed to do it all? I can't..."

"Buffy," Giles gently held her by the shoulders. "I am here for anything you need. Anything at all."

She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said. "I just wish I had someone strong to help me with Glory. How am I supposed to fight a demon stronger than me?"

"We'll find a way," Giles promised. "We always do."

Buffy nodded and sighed. Inwardly, she wondered if they would find a way or if they were merely clinging to foolish hope...

After leaving the Magic Box, she wandered around the town, staking a vamp here and there. Realizing she had made her way to Spike's cemetery without realizing, she paused and shrugged, walking to his crypt. She stopped in front of the door and hesitated, something tingling inside of her. While she didn't trust Spike in the slightest, she knew he was the second strongest next to her, therefore the only other of her group who stood a chance against Glory...

Suddenly, the door swung open and the vampire in question stood in the doorway, cigarette dangling from his mouth. He arched his scarred brow at her and said, "What is it? Bit all right?"

"She's fine," Buffy said after recovering from his sudden appearance. "I just came to talk to you. About Glory."

Spike nodded and said, "Come in Slayer." He turned and walked inside, Buffy following and shutting the cement door shut. She hesitated as Spike went over to his fridge and pulled out a beer. He glanced at her and held out the bottle, saying, "You want?"

"No," she said shortly after frowning. "No. I'm fine."

Spike shrugged and turned sitting down in his only chair. He took a swig of his beer and Buffy sighed irritably before sitting on the sarcophagus. They settled in silence for a few minutes before Spike said irritably, "Well? If you came to talk, talk then. M'not stopping you."

"Give me a second," Buffy snapped as she flashed him a scowl. "I'm thinking."

"Don't strain yourself," Spike retorted as he got to his feet and went over to his mini fridge. Pouring himself a glass of bourbon and blood, he said, "Tried to find out some information underground about the bitch but no one knew a thing."

"Nothing?" Buffy said defeat written in her voice. "If the demon community doesn't know anything, how can we find anything?"

"Keep searching," Spike replied as he turned to face her. "We'll find something 'bout her pet. And then, you'll kick her ass like always."

Buffy smiled slightly at the roundabout compliment and sighed. "Well, then," she looked at him. "We'd better figure out a plan. Just in case."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," she sighed wearily. "Maybe we run? Go to L.A.?"

Spike shook his head. "She'd follow eventually. And Peaches won't be of any help either. He's got humans working for him and they can't hurt Glory anymore than we can."

"Then someplace else," Buffy opted. "Like Europe? China?"

"Maybe," Spike mused as he sat back down. "Could take you and the Bit with me. Got some people who owe me favors all over the place." Spike sighed and looked at her, saying, "Your mates will be in danger if they stay pet. Best to send them all over the place too."

"Yeah," Buffy whispered as she rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. I know. God, this is so hard. I don't know what to do Spike..."

"We'll figure it out Slayer," Spike reassured her as he studied her over his glass with clear blue eyes. "I promise you, we'll figure it out."

- -

Luna paused as she stood in front of the motel room, her senses on alert. Turning her head, she sighed wearily and entered, dropping her bag on the floor. Rummaging through it, she set to work warding her room and protecting herself. After that was done, she stripped and took a hot shower, pulling on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a long sleeved thermal shirt. She curled up in the unfamiliar bed and a dreamless sleep overtook her.

She awoke after noon and showered again, dressing in a dark blue dress that fell to her mid thigh and simple black suede boots. Strapping her thigh holster underneath her skirt, she slid in a stake and a small dagger, checked over herself, slid on a lightweight white knit coat and braided her hair into a thick plait down her back. Sighing, she studied herself in the mirror and said to her reflection, "Well. This is it. Not much you can do now, is there?"

Sighing, she turned and grabbed her room key as she went out the door. The sun slid over her face, warming her body, and she sighed as she walked down the street. She paused as she watched the Magic Box from one side and saw a redheaded young woman enter. She frowned at the shimmer of power surrounding her and shook her head as she thought, 'She's got way too much power from someone with little control...'

She crossed the street with casual ease, the skirt swirling around her thighs as she pushed open the door of the Magic Box. She paused, letting the light stream in as she watched the group inside the shop. A smile tugged at her lips as a tall, coltish girl with long brown hair to her waist giggled loudly as the dark-haired young man wearing a plaid shirt over his broad shoulders grinned at her.

She went over to a few of the items she was interested in, perusing the herbs with casual elegance. She looked over her shoulder at the woman behind the register and smiled to herself as she took her in, allowing her gaze to travel over the familiar face and form.

Suddenly, the sound of the basement door flying open caused her to turn and her eyes widened slightly as the bleached blonde vampire said, his voice filled with irritation, "You know, Demon Girl, cleaning downstairs might not be a bad idea. Almost knocked over some rat's eyes on my way up."

"I'll make sure to make a note," Anya Jenkins said as she looked over at the woman who had been browsing for a few minutes longer than necessary. She looked over at Spike and said, "And if you had broken the jars, you'd pay for them."

"Yeah, yeah," Spike grumbled as he eyed the pretty blonde girl standing near the front of the store. She was a knockout, no doubt about it, with long hair that was a shade or two lighter than the Bit's and a shapely form that wasn't hidden beneath the short dress she wore. Her hair was pulled into a sleek braid and she held herself with a careless grace that reminded him of someone...

"What are you doing here anyway?" Xander Harris demanded of the Cockney vamp. Spike rolled his eyes as he sprawled himself in the seat, arching his scarred eye brow at him. "So happens," he drawled. "That the Slayer invited me to this little meeting."

"Why would she-" Xander began but the training room door opened, Buffy strolling out with Willow Rosenberg and Rupert Giles behind her. Tara McClay, Willow's girlfriend came down from the upper level of the Magic Box, her face filled with curiosity as she looked over at the customer standing by the candles. She frowned slightly at the aura swirling around the young woman and blinked in surprise as the woman turned her head enough to meet her eyes.

"Tara?"

Willow's voice broke through her concentration and Tara started, blinking as she looked at her girlfriend. "Oh," she said. "It's nothing. Really."

Willow frowned but didn't press for answers, merely followed her girlfriend's eyes to the girl standing over by the candles. She eyed the stranger curiously and blinked as she knelt down to peer at something, a pleased expression crossing her features. The young woman looked up and Anya went over to her immediately, saying, "Oh, what else is there you'd like to purchase?"

"Just these candles," she said pointing to an assortment. "I'd like six in the green, six in the silver, six in the gold, and six in the bronze."

Anya blinked and said, "That's quite a dangerous combination. A protection spell with an assault spell combined?"

"I can handle it," the girl replied her lips twisting upwards in what should have been a smile. "And I'll be paying in cash."

Anya nodded and immediately set to work. While she packaged and rang up the candles, the young woman wandered over to the books, hands hovering over them. She paused as she felt eyes watching her and turned to meet a pair of wide blue eyes. Dawn Summers blushed as she realized she had been caught staring and started as the beautiful stranger looked at her , hazel eyes twinkling with laughter.

'She looks like Buffy,' Dawn thought suddenly and started as she realized that the girl did look like her sister. Except for the hair, face, and body type, she could pass for Buffy from far away. She looked over at her sister who was busy talking heatedly with Xander and looked over at Spike, who frowned at her expression.

"Bit?" he asked quietly, leaning forward. "You all right?"

"Spike," Dawn looked over at the girl, who was still watching her with that same smile. "She doesn't remind you of someone does she?"

Spike peered over at the female and studied her for a brief moment. The girl's eyes met his with calm, cool bravery and his eyes widened as he realized that her eyes were the same shade as...

"Buffy," he murmured and Dawn nodded, her own wide with shock. "She looks like..."

"I know," Dawn peered over at her sister and then over to the strange girl. "She looks like Buffy but..."

"S'not her though," Spike said discreetly inhaling. "She's..." His eyes narrowed as he smelled the scent of the girl: spice and cinnamon with a hint of something familiar. He realized what it was with a start.

Summers blood.

She smelled like Dawn and Buffy. She had Summers blood running in her veins.

The woman smiled.

"Hello Dawn," she said causing the entire group to stop their conversations. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Buffy rose to her feet warily but the girl didn't react, merely continued. "I admit," she said. "You're taller than I imagined. And prettier than I remember." She laughed, a hollow sound that had the group tensing up. "And still, I can't seem to think you should be six and in a Rainbow Brite sweatshirt and overalls."

The color drained from Buffy's face and she took a step forward as she hissed, "Who are you?"

The woman looked at her and Buffy took a step back as she looked into familiar eyes; eyes just like the ones she saw every day in the mirror. The woman tilted her head to the side and said, "Can't you tell? It isn't obvious? I always thought that you'd be able to tell right away. That something about me would just let you _know_."

Pain flickered in the girl's eyes and Buffy felt something tug at her heart at the sadness written inside of them. She was briefly reminded of Faith and she wondered why because this girl was nothing like Faith...

Of that she was certain. She didn't know why but she was certain. "Who are you?" she repeated after a moment and the woman smiled. She held out her hand and said, "I'm Luna. Luna Summers."

She paused then added, "I'm your sister Buffy. Yours and Dawn's."

_Next, Chapter Two: A Phantom Arose..._


	2. Chapter 2: A Phantom Arose

_Chapter Two: A Phantom Arose_

Buffy gaped at the woman standing in front of her in total silence. She sank into the nearest chair as Giles stepped forward, glasses coming off as he said delicately, "Joyce Summers had no other daughters."

"I didn't say I was Joyce's," Luna replied easily. "Although, can't deny I wish I was." She looked at the people around her and said, "Hank had an affair seventeen years ago. The woman got pregnant, Hank got scared, and left." She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Paid my mom child support every other month but when she died, I stopped getting the checks."

"You're lying," Buffy whispered. "My father wouldn't...he didn't..."

"Abandon his kid," Luna finished for her as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I would say that I'm kidding or that I wish I was wrong but I've got proof." She reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, she tossed it onto the table and after some hesitation, Xander picked it up.

"Tests are all conclusive," he read aloud. "Hank Summers is 95.5 the father of Baby Summers."

Luna uncrossed her arms and said quietly, "Look, I know that you don't have to believe me..."

"We're _not_ your sisters," Buffy said sharply. "You could've forged that or-"

"You can't forge DNA test results," Luna retorted. "Or birth certificates. Or the checks he sent each month. I know this is shocking and hard Buffy but I'm not the bad guy all right? I just wanted to meet you. You and Dawn."

"You can't possibly be my sister," Buffy insisted as she got to her feet. "Or Dawn's. There's no way."

"Why?" Luna tilted her head to the side. "Because Dawn's the Key?"

Immediately, Buffy attacked and everyone let out cries of alarm. Luna caught Buffy with ease, her body moving smoothly, the short skirt flaring out as brilliant silver light poured out of her left hand, keeping the Slayer in place against the wall. She snapped her head to look behind her as the others rushed forward, Willow's eyes turning black. Her right hand lifted, the same silver light pouring out of it and causing the other's to stop in their tracks.

"Don't bother," she said lowly. "I'll knock all of you out before you can even blink." She cracked her neck from side to side as Buffy struggled, her mouth open in a silent scream of anger. "I didn't want it to be like this," she added. "I really didn't. I wanted to explain. Make you understand."

She inhaled and exhaled out of her nose as she said, "I'll let you go Buffy but you can't attack me. Not you or Spike or Willow. I can break everybody else's necks with a snap of my fingers. They won't die but they'll be in a lot of pain."

She turned her head to meet Giles' eyes and her lips pulled back to reveal white teeth, a mockery of a smile. "I told you_ who_ I am," she said. "Now, sit and I'll you _what_ I am."

- -

Giles picked up the cup of tea Anya had prepared and studied the young woman sitting across from him and the others. After letting them go from whatever magic it was she held, Luna had sat down in the nearest chair and waited. Hesitation had filled him but he sat down as well, motioning for the others to follow suit. Anya had immediately put on a pot of hot water in the coffee maker, preparing tea for everyone while Luna waited.

As soon as everyone was settled, Luna had begun her tale. She told them of a power that was bigger than anything in the universe, of how that power had been dormant for millions of years, and how she had been chosen to be the wielder of it.

"I have been called many things in the past," the young woman said. "Demon, Satan's Spawn. Witch. But the truth is, this power I hold has no name. No form. It's inside of me but it's also me. I control it and I manipulate it. It isn't good nor is it evil. It's balanced."

"Giles?" Buffy turned wide eyes to her Watcher. Giles sighed wearily, rubbing his temples as he said, "I have never heard of such a power. Rumors of things other than vampires and demons have been heard but there's not a basis of fact or concrete evidence."

"Just because you can't see it," Luna said. "Doesn't mean it isn't there." She held out her hands, spreading them out and said, "I was four when I first Saw. I saw Merrick approaching Buffy at Hemery. I saw him die and Buffy do what she needed to do..."

"Stop," Buffy ordered her voice trembling but Luna merely looked at her with sympathy written in her eyes. "I saw it all, Buffy," Luna whispered. "I felt it. Every single moment of your life, I dreamt it. I wrote it down. I didn't want to forget that. Any of it." She got to her feet, hands waving in the air as she spoke, sadness tinging her voice.

"When Dawn appeared, I knew who she was. What she was," she continued. "I knew she wasn't completely human or completely yours either. I knew she was a part of me and I knew I had to find you both. I had to protect you both..."

"Enough," Buffy said throwing her chair back. "I've heard enough. Dawn. We're going home."

"Buffy," Dawn began but Buffy cut her off with a shrill, "We're going _home_!" as she spun to face her younger sister. "Now."

Dawn hurriedly got her things together and followed Buffy out of the Magic Box. Luna stood stiffly and her shoulders sagged as the door slammed shut behind them. She bowed her head, lips pressing together in a thin line before straightening. She looked at the others gathered and said, "If you want to find evidence of this power, look inside the Codex. There should be a prophecy."

Then, she turned and walked out.

- -

Buffy finished staking the vampire, her hazel eyes hard with anger and pain. She didn't pause as the dust settled, merely walked briskly through the cemetery. Spike stepped out of the shadows and exhaled the smoke from his cigarette as he trotted after the blonde warrior. Silently, he watched her stake two vampires with ease and finally spoke up, saying, "Just let it out Slayer. S'not healthy to hold any emotions in."

"I don't need emotional lessons from you Spike," Buffy snapped as she spun to face him. "You have no emotions worth anything."

Irritation flickered across the Cockney vamp's face and he said, "Right. Evil, soulless thing. You know, I don't know your father and I don't particularly want too considering he abandoned you and Dawn as soon as your Mum was in the ground."

"He had business," Buffy began but Spike snorted as he tossed his cigarette on the grass, crushing it beneath his foot. "Business?" he repeated with a sneer. "Right. I don't suppose that had anything to do with the redhead waiting in his car? I'd sure like to do business with her myself."

"You're disgusting," Buffy hissed and Spike snorted as he looked up at the dark sky, stretching his neck from side to side. "I'm disgusting," he said. "But he's not for leaving a fabulous woman like your Mum and leaving you to take care of the Bit all on your own? I'm disgusting because I actually give a bloody damn about what happens to the two of you?"

"Excuse me?" Buffy snapped. "You're a vampire! You don't have a soul so that caring crap isn't true!"

"And you're so _bloody_ narrow-minded," Spike growled as he stepped forward till he was nose to nose with her. "That you've pushed away everyone who even got close enough to make you care. Angelus couldn't love you without a soul so that means all vampires are evil, unemotional creatures right?" He snorted. "Newsflash love: Angelus was a mean, sadistic, selfish bastard as a human and he's a mean, sadistic, selfish bastard as a demon. It just so happens that _you_ made him feel love which he thinks of as a weakness."

He straightened. "And as for my caring about you and the Bit?" he said. "Yeah, I care. For some reason, I respect you Slayer. I respect the fact you've lasted this long and you've danced with many a Big Bad. I respect that. I get it." He narrowed his eyes at her. "But what I absolutely fuckin' _hate _about you is that you put too much stock into normalcy. Soldier Boy left because you are stronger than he is and he knows it. It had nothin' to do with you."

He turned and strolled away, his coat flapping behind him. "Just 'cause you're the Slayer," his voice carried in the wind. "Doesn't mean you can go around and think the world revolves around you. 'Cause really? You are nothing but a stupid, scared little girl."

As soon as Spike disappeared from sight, Buffy let out a tiny gasp of pain and sank to the ground. Tears spilled down her face as she wept bitterly and from the shadows, Luna shook her head and vanished in a flash of light.

- -

The next day, Dawn paused as she saw Luna standing in front of the Magic Box. A cigarette dangled from her fingers as she blew smoke into the air. Her head was thrown back as she sat on the sidewalk, knees against her chest. She brought the cigarette to her lips and left it there as she studied the people across the street. Hesitating, Dawn stepped forward and Luna said, "How was school?" without turning to look at her.

"Fine," she said warily remembering Buffy's warning that Luna was unstable and she shouldn't speak to her. Luna dropped the cigarette and crushed it with her shoe, saying, "That Nathan guy ask you out yet?"

Dawn's eyes widened and she said, "How did you-?"

"Kind of a mind reader," Luna tapped her forehead as she turned to look at her slightly, hazel eyes glittering in the sunlight. "You're thinking about him twenty-four seven and it's distracting."

"You can read my mind?" Dawn squeaked.

"I can read everyone's mind," Luna jerked her chin towards a couple sitting at a table across the street at a small café. "That guy's thinking of proposing and the girl? She's been pregnant for four weeks and doesn't know how to tell him." A smile twisted her lips. "He'll marry her and they'll have twins."

"You don't know that," Dawn said and Luna laughed as she looked up at her. "Wrong," she said as she blew smoke rings into the air. "I _do _know that. I _know _lots of things Dawn. Tons of things that'll come to pass and that I _can't _stop. But the things I _can _stop? I'll do my best to make sure that they don't come to pass."

Dawn swallowed and hugged her books to her chest tightly as she said hesitantly, "Are you really my sister?"

"Bet your ass," Luna replied as she got up, dropping the cigarette and crushing it beneath her foot. "I know exactly when you were made and how you were made." She turned and looked at her with sympathy. "Do you want to know?"

Dawn's breath caught as she realized what Luna was asking her. No one had asked her if she wanted to know her origins; no one had even _mentioned_ it and Dawn had slowly been wondering if anyone would ever ask if she wanted to know...

"Yes," she said before she could stop herself. "Yes, I want to know. Who I am. What I am."

A slow smile spread across Luna's face and she said, "Good. Take my hand." She held out her right hand and Dawn placed hers inside. There was a flash of silver and green light, and the two girls were gone.

- -

Buffy entered the Magic Box and went towards the back as she called, "Is Dawn here yet?"

"No," Anya frowned as the Slayer stopped in her tracks. Turning slowly, she said, "What do you mean no?"

"She didn't come here at all today," Anya replied surprised. "I thought she'd gone home..."

"Where could she be?" Buffy asked frantically. "Oh God, what if Glory has her? What if something happened?"

"Maybe she's at Spike's?" Anya suggested as the door flew open and Xander came with Willow and Tara. A smoking blanket pushed past the three and Spike tossed it to the ground, stomping out the small fire. He grimaced and paused as he realized Buffy was staring at him with horror and Anya with a frown of concern.

"Wot?"

"Dawn's not with you?" Buffy asked slowly a sinking feeling in her stomach. Spike shook his head and said, "Haven't seen her since yesterday. Why?"

"Oh God," Buffy whispered as panic began to fill her.

- -

Dawn was everywhere.

She could _feel_ it, all of it. Time and Space and Love and Hate. Everything in this world was in her. She could hear languages of all kinds, lost and found, old and new, floating around her. She could feel Luna inside her and could hear her thoughts...

She could feel Buffy and her power, steeped in darkness and in light.

Spike and his power, thrumming steadily beneath the chip.

All of it.

She was everywhere.

She was every_thing_.

She was the Key.

And Glory...

Glory was there.

And Dawn grew afraid.

- -

The sudden explosion rocked everyone off their feet, Buffy flying back towards the training room, Anya thrown against the walls behind her. Spike flew into a nearby bookcase and it fell on top of him as the other three were thrown out the window, glass dissolving into sparkling shimmers of light.

In the middle of the shop, stood Dawn. Her eyes glowed bright green and her hair flared out in a wave of molten bronze. Beside her, Luna stood, eyes pure silver and electrical arcs crackled around her body, molding itself to her shape. The two young women held hands tightly as they glowed and suddenly, Dawn let out a primal scream that blew out the remaining glass into shards.

As sudden as the scream began it stopped and Dawn slumped forward into Luna's arms. The older girl staggered and sank to the ground, her eyes fluttering shut as the light surrounding her vanished into a shimmer of silver.

They both fell to the ground in a heap, arms and legs tangled.

- -

Buffy glanced over at Dawn and Luna, her hazel eyes filled with worry and irritation. She turned to face Giles who had been downstairs during the entire thing and said, "What did she do to Dawn?"

"We won't know until one or both of them wake up," Giles said wearily as he looked over at the two unconscious young girls. Dawn was curled up to Luna's side, no one having been able to remove her. Each time someone tried, green light would flicker around the youngest Summers girl and Luna's hands would glow silver.

He sighed and said, "Honestly, if we could just find any information about this power Luna wields..."

"Did you look in everything?" Buffy asked and Spike frowned as he rubbed the back of his neck. He cracked his neck from side to side and exhaled, saying, "I'll be back in a bit. Think I'll patrol before the night gets any later."

Buffy started, guilt filling her as she realized she hadn't thought of patrolling. "I'll come with you," she offered but Spike waved her off. "S'all right Slayer," he said as he walked towards the front of the store. "I'm going by the butcher's anyway so don't worry about it."

Buffy hesitated but nodded. "Thanks Spike," she said and the vampire paused long enough to look back at her. Something flickered in his eyes and Buffy wondered to herself why she'd never really noticed the rich color of them.

"No problem Slayer," he said breaking the spell, and disappeared from her sight.

Leaving the Magic Box, Spike paused long enough to light a cigarette. As soon as he rounded the corner, three brown robed figures scurried after him. Inside, the Slayer and Giles kept discussing what could have happened.

Luna's eyes snapped open, shining completely silver as her back arched, mouth opening in a silent scream. Buffy gasped in shock at the sight and watched as her alleged sister stayed that way for a few seconds before falling unconscious once more. As soon as she was lying down again, Dawn's eyes fluttered open and she winced as she sat up, saying, "Oh...wow. That hurts..."

"Dawn!" Buffy hurried over to her and Giles left the room, reappearing with aspirin and water. "Here," he said handing them to the girl as Luna groaned and rolled onto her side, her eyes fluttering open. He immediately handed the other girl aspirin and Luna took them with a quiet, "Thanks..." as she swallowed them dry.

Dawn winced at the sight and held out the water but Luna waved her off as she got onto her knees, shaking her head, and said, "Hell, that's going to ring for a few hours..."

"What the hell did you do?" Buffy asked icily and Luna glanced at her for a moment before sighing. She closed her eyes and said wearily, "I'd rather wait until tomorrow. I'm exhausted."

"Too bad," Buffy said. "My friends are in the hospital and Dawn was almost killed-"

A harsh laugh split through the air as Luna said, "Killed? Not even close. That was just a wake up call what I did."

"And what was that?" Giles asked carefully as he removed his glasses and peered at the girl. "Because it looked like Dawn was in pain."

"She wasn't," Luna said shortly narrowing her gaze at the Watcher. "Believe me on that. She just learned what she is."

"Excuse me?" Buffy said and Dawn sighed wearily as she waved her hand. "Hello? Standing right here," the youngest Summers said. "And is perfectly fine. No pain other than a mild headache. And for some reason, I really want some cheese." She looked confused for a moment before shrugging. "But I'm _fine_. I promise."

Buffy eyed Luna warily before turning to look at Dawn. "You sure?"

"Did I not just say so?" came the exasperated reply.

"What do you mean she learned what she is?" Buffy demanded after studying her sister for a moment. She spun to look at Luna and watched as Luna sighed before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. She paused long enough to light one and blew the smoke out into the air, saying, "Okay. Let's see if I can explain..."

She gathered herself together, ignoring Buffy's impatient tapping of her foot and finally said, "Fuck it." before reaching out and grabbing Buffy's hand, then Dawn's. Her eyes glowed silver briefly, Dawn's glowing green, and Buffy's flickered red before she yanked her hand out of Luna's and stumbled back with a pained gasp.

"What-?" the Slayer managed and Luna calmly let go of Dawn's hand as she looked at her sister. The Seer let her lips curl upwards slightly, revealing her teeth as she said, "Yeah. Dawn's called the Key for many reasons. But the main thing is, she opens portals to anywhere or anyplace."

Giles frowned and said, "And Glory is after her because she can open portals to her home world, I suspect. A dimension of hell?"

"Got it in one," Luna retorted as she brought her cigarette to her lips. "I'm tired. I'll see you all tomorrow." Before anyone could stop her, the young woman had vanished in a flash of silver light. Buffy stared at where Luna had stood, her face slightly pale as she blinked slowly. Dawn hesitated as she looked at Buffy before crouching down to look at her.

"Buffy?" she asked her voice trembling with hesitancy. "Are you okay?"

Buffy blinked as she looked at Dawn before whispering, "Oh Dawn. I'm so sorry."

A tiny smile lit Dawn's face and she said, "It's okay. Let's go home."

The Slayer nodded and rose to her feet as she looked over at her Watcher. Quietly, she said, "I'm going home. If the others ask, I'll talk to them tomorrow..."

"I'll take you both home," Giles offered as he followed them to the front. Grabbing his keys, he added, "Go wait in the car for me..." as he handed them to Buffy, who smiled in thanks. As soon as the two went outside, he immediately set to locking up the Magic Box as best as he could, considering the window was blown out and so was the front door. Anya had insisted on taking the money before going to the hospital to be treated so he didn't need to make a stop at the bank...

Taking the trash to the dumpster behind the Magic Box, he frowned as he saw something lying in the alley. A glint of silver that had him crouching down and picking it up. The lighter was expensive, he could tell by the craftsmanship and he knew that he'd seen it somewhere before...

"Giles?" Buffy's voice startled him and he turned to look at his Slayer. She frowned at him and said, "What is it?"

"Have you seen this before?" he asked as he held out the lighter. Buffy's eyes widened as she stared at it for a moment before saying softly, "Yeah. It's Spike's lighter. Where did you find-?"

"It was here," Giles frowned deeply. "In the alley."

Suddenly, a growl sounded throughout the alley, causing both of them to freeze. Buffy was staring behind him, her eyes wide with sudden fear and he began to turn, gasping as he stared into a pair of red eyes. The monstrosity wore an outfit made out of leather and had no hair, its body moving in a crouch over the ground, similar to a large jungle cat. It's skin was pale, completely white and evil poured off of it in waves.

"Giles," Buffy breathed. "Move back, behind me..."

He began to move but stopped as the creature snarled, revealing pointed yellow teeth as it stared at them. It had no nose, just two slits in its face and evil poured off of it in waves...

It attacked.

Buffy let out a cry and Giles shouted, throwing his hands up to defend himself when a bright crackle of electricity arched through the air, driving back the creature. He blinked as Luna appeared above him, her eyes glittering silver as she said grimly, "All right. Payback's a bitch, you animal..." as she landed lightly in front of him. The young woman grinned wolfishly as the monster snarled at her, swiping with a claw. She curled her fingers up in front of her and said, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..."

And she lunged forward, the light pouring out of her brightly, causing Giles to close his eyes as he turned to look at his Slayer. He could hear snarls and Luna's grunts as she fought the creature, could feel his heart slamming rapidly into his ribcage as he heard a howl of pain, and then...

Silence.

When he opened his eyes, he watched the creature dissolve into a pile of dust, slowly and carefully. Luna stood behind the pile, smoke curling from her hands as she blinked at him and Buffy, her skin glowing bright silver. Then, her knees crumbled beneath her as she fainted, the silver light vanishing from her skin.

_Next, Chapter Three: The Centre of my Sinful Earth_...


	3. Chapter 3: The Centre of my Sinful Earth

_Chapter Three: The Centre of my Sinful Earth_

A scream tore itself from Spike's mouth as he awoke, gasping as he stared into a pair of red eyes. Blinking wearily, he watched as the creature snapped its jaws and managed a pained, "What...?"

"He's awake!" a female voice exclaimed happily and Spike watched as an attractive blonde woman around twenty years old, wearing a short red dress came in through doorway. She had curly blonde hair to her waste and bright blue eyes that twinkled as she peered up at him. She tapped his nose gently and said, "Now. We're going to play a game, ok? You're going to tell me where my Key is and I'm going to go get it."

"Sod off," Spike managed through clenched teeth. Pain rose up through his arms and legs as he looked up at the chains twisted around his wrists. He gritted his teeth as Glory grabbed his chin roughly and forced him to look at her, saying, "Now, see. This is the problem with you vampires. You just don't follow directions well."

"I suspect it's more loyalty," a male voice said from the doorway. Glory turned and Spike watched as a man, wearing a clergyman's robes, came into the room. His hands were behind his back and he smiled coldly, blue eyes calm and icy. Spike grunted as the priest added, "This is the vampire that kills its kind. Alongside the Slayer."

"You've got no soul that I can see," Glory peered at Spike. "Why would you help the Slayer?"

"Keeps me from gettin' staked," Spike managed through his jaw. "And I like myself that way."

"Oh," Glory perked up. "I see. You must _hate_ having to do that. I think I could help. Tell me where the Key is and I'll let you go."

"He doesn't know," the priest said. "Why would the Slayer confide in a vampire?"

'If only you knew,' Spike thought as he tested his chains with a tiny movement. Glory smiled sweetly at him and said, "Do you think the Slayer would be more receptive if I sent you to her in pieces? Can you sew together a vampire when it's been hacked into many, many parts?"

The monstrosity that had woken him snarled, his mouth snapping dangerously close to Spike's groin area. The priest laughed and clapped his hands, the monster loping over to stand beside him. He stepped foward, Glory standing aside as he said, "My name is Caleb. Perhaps you'd like to confess any sins, damned one?"

"Fuck you," Spike hissed as he tried his chains again. "I'm not tellin' you a damn thing. I don't know what the hell this Key is and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you!"

"Oh," Caleb smiled as Glory slid a dagger out of its sheath, a pleased smile on her features. "I think we can convince you otherwise." He stepped back as Glory held the dagger with one hand and reached up to pat Spike's cheek. Then, she slid it into his stomach without hesitation.

Spike gritted his teeth in pain, the veins on his neck bulging as he fought back a scream.

- -

Buffy opened the motel room door gingerly, stepping inside hesitantly. After some deliberation, Giles had insisted on taking Luna back to his apartment and sent Buffy to gather her things. The younger woman had been completely comatose for the second time in a few hours and her pulse had been weak and uneven. Dawn had been frantic in checking her over and when she had touched Luna's face, startled at the sudden glimmer of greenish light that emitted from her hand.

"What are you doing?" Buffy had demanded and Dawn had shaken her head, eyes wide with surprise. "I don't know," she had replied honestly as she stared at the body of her sister. "I didn't know I could do that. She's..." Dawn blinked, eyes widening even more. "Sleeping. I can feel her. She's asleep..."

Buffy shook herself from the memory and looked around the motel room. A guitar case sat on the only chair, a duffel bag on top of the dresser. A large white bowl sat beside it with a soft glow coming from it. Buffy frowned and stepped forward, reaching out to touch the edge. A jolt of electricity moved up her arm and she jerked back with a tiny gasp of surprise.

She swallowed and studied the room some more, taking in the shabby quality, the way Luna had kept her things in the bag, as if she expected to leave with a moment's notice...

Guilt filled her as she sat down on the bed gingerly, her hands coming in contact with a worn notebook, the edges frayed. She studied it for a moment before quietly gathering together Luna's things and leaving the motel.

When she arrived at Giles's flat, Dawn was waiting for her anxiously, her expression filled with worry. "She's been making noises," she said as the Slayer set down the duffel bag, guitar case, and bowl. "She keeps saying stuff in Latin..."

A frown creased Buffy's forehead and she followed Dawn up to the guest room. She blinked in surprise as she watched Luna's body arch off the bed, mouth open as she chanted. Giles was standing in the doorway, an expression of grave seriousness on his face. Buffy frowned as Luna's eyes snapped open and she let out a hiss, saying, "_Patronus...arbitratus...captio..._"

"What's she saying?" Buffy asked and Giles shook his head as he replied, "Protector not hurt." He sighed heavily and said, "I have no clue who she's speaking of but I suspect they're health is very important."

Suddenly, Luna's arched body dropped back to the bed and she let out a gasp. A name.

A chill ran up Buffy's spine.

"_William_."

- -

Spike grunted as he felt himself drop to the ground. Forcing his eyes open, he watched tiredly as the Hellgod stomped out of the room, the monster of a creature coming forward. It hissed at him, lips pulling back to reveal yellow, jagged teeth. He grunted in pain as the creature dragged him up by the hair and threw him against the wall. Feeling his left arm crack in half, he snarled, his game face coming forward at the pain.

_You think you scare me?_

The voice was hoarse and grave, the words thick and Spike watched as the creature loped over to him, picking him up with one hand and holding him against the wall. It's red eyes glittered maliciously as it asked, _You think I cower in fear of your Slayer?_

"Piss off," he managed and the creature roared as it slammed him against the wall, his arm dangling uselessly at his sides. Pain flared inside of him as he said, "She's going to kill you and I'll dance on your bloody ashes."

_Not likely. I'll feast on her blood._

"Not if I kill you first," he snarled furiously at the threat to his Slayer. The creature let out a hiss, eyes glittering. _You fancy yourself in love. How human. How pathetic._

Lifting Spike up, it threw the Cockney vampire across the room. It prowled forward, saying, _She cannot possibly beat me. She is human. Made of flesh and blood on which my kind feast._

"Your kind?" Spike spat as he rolled onto his side, pain flaring upwards into his eyes. "What about your kind?"

_Do you not see it, feel it?_ The creature sneered at him as it loomed above his still form. _I am one of the cleansed. I am pure._

Spike's nostrils flared and he grimaced at the stench of death and copper and smoke. Copper...

The realization hit him with horror. Blood. Ashes.

"What are you?" he whispered and the creature threw its head back to howl.

_I am more than you will ever be! I am the Beginning!_ _I am Turok-Han!_

And fear slid up Spike's spine.

- -

Buffy paced the living room as Willow and Tara performed the locator spell. She watched as the map lit up, a burn mark appearing on it and said, "Well?"

"He's on Mark and Bryant," Willow replied as she began to clear up the equipment. "Are we going after him?"

"Yeah," Buffy said grimly as she marched over to where Giles kept the weapons. "We need to be sure he's okay."

"Why?" Xander asked from where he sat with Anya on the couch. "What do we owe that bloodsucker?"

'Not now, not now, not now,' Buffy thought wearily. Sighing, she straightened her shoulders and said, "I'm not doing this with you right now Xander, all right?"

She picked up a sword and crossbow, tossing it over her shoulder. The crossbow she handed to Tara, who smiled in thanks while Willow picked up a book, flipping through it rapidly. Anya moved forward but paused as Xander said, "He'll spill and then we'll just have to kill him. Let them have him Buffy. He's nothing but a vampire."

"Who has done more for me than anyone," Buffy replied spinning to face him. "I won't let his past mistakes stop me from saving him Xander! I've never held anyone's mistakes against them, not even yours!"

"What are you talking about?" Xander demanded and Buffy snorted as she shook her head. "What was it Will said when I went to face Angelus?" she asked him and watched in satisfaction as he turned pale. "Kick his ass right?"

Willow let out an indignant, "What?" as she turned to look at her oldest friend. "Xander?"

He didn't reply and Buffy shook her head. "I know you don't like vampires. I know you don't like Spike. But I am _not_ your property Xander. I am not your responsibility. I am not your girlfriend either and therefore I will talk, date, be friends, or partners with whoever I see fit!"

She exhaled and slung the sword over her shoulder as a soft voice spoke up from the staircase.

"Got another one of those?" Luna leaned heavily against the wall, her face pale. Buffy studied her sister for a few minutes and said, "You're not coming."

"I've got to," she replied. "It's not just Glory you're facing. That thing I killed? There's another one of them and believe me, none of you can take him yet."

Xander watched as the Slayer and her sister moved to the front door, Luna's skirt swirling around her legs as Buffy paused long enough to press a kiss to Dawn's forehead. Swiftly, she said, "Anya? Take Dawn home and prepare my mom's room for Spike, will you?"

Anya nodded as Giles came down the stairs. "Good luck," the ex-demon called and then turned to look at Xander. At the disappointment and sadness in her eyes, Xander turned away and sat back down on the couch without a word.

- -

Luna strolled down the street, her legs eating up the ground easily. Silvery-white light filtered into her skin and Buffy watched as the lights in the restaurants and streetlights all turned off as Luna walked past them. She listened to the startled calls from people in the shops and glanced over at Tara and Willow, who were both staring at Luna with wide eyes. Buffy sighed and slowed down to walk beside the two witches.

As they approached the fancy building, Buffy narrowed her eyes. The snake she'd killed weeks ago had died a few feet away from here, if she remembered correctly. Which meant Glory had been so close to finding out about Dawn...

She shuddered at the thought and went to stand beside her sister. Luna tilted her head to the side slightly and said, "Top floor. Penthouse." She cracked her neck from side to side, adding, "Whatever you see? Don't interfere with my fight. Got it?"

"Not a problem," Buffy retorted as she went towards the door. "I'm only here to make sure he didn't spill."

"You know he didn't Buffy," Luna replies as she shoved the door open with a flick of her wrist, electricity arching around her body. "Problem is, you still think vampires are evil. You'd be amazed at how much evil is human."

Before she could reply, Luna had passed her, her form glittering in the lobby. The lights flickered and died as she went to the elevator and it opened. Buffy glanced over her shoulder at Tara and Willow who nodded at her. Smiling in thanks, the Slayer turned and followed, the two witches at her heels.

- -

Spike opened his eyes slowly, exhaustion and pain filling him as he teetered between unconsciousness and consciousness. He could see Glory's feet in front of him and inwardly wrinkled his nose at the sight of the painted toenails. He watched as they walked away from him, blinking as his vision went blurry.

The Turok-Han was sitting peacefully beside Caleb. 'S'like an overgrown Doberman,' Spike thought angrily. 'Sittin' there, doin' all the work. If it's so evil and powerful why won't it kill the wanker?'

Pain flared in his legs and he gritted his teeth as he closed his eyes. He knew his left arm was shattered, as well as his legs. Hell, he was pretty sure not a single inch of his body wasn't bruised or broken. It felt like he'd been hit with the organ from that damn church all over again...

'Least I'm not covered in burns,' he thought to himself as he gritted his teeth. He knew if he showed that he was awake, they'd start the process all over again. But he wouldn't betray Buffy like that, he vowed. He wouldn't let Dawn be taken and killed by those things...

Suddenly, the lights flickered off and he grunted as he opened his eyes, letting himself slip into game face. His eyes widened as he saw Luna shoot into the room, electricity arching around her in waves as the Turok-Han and the little brown creatures Glory called her minions rushed her. She moved with casual ease through the minions and the Turok-Han lunged for her, teeth open in a snarl.

He watched as Buffy and the witches came pouring in, Willow chanting as Tara fired a few bolts from the crossbow. He watched as the Slayer hacked her way through the little demons and faced off against Glory. The pain in his body faded into nothing as he watched Buffy's body move in an ancient rhythm. She was poetry in motion, the way her sword become an extension of her self...

He heard footsteps approach and suddenly found himself hauled up to meet Caleb's eyes. The fallen priest smiled pleasantly and said, "I think you and I are going to become great friends." He slammed Spike against the wall and said, "Where is the Key?"

"Fuck. You," he managed. "Prick."

"Such an unclean mouth," Caleb tutted. "I'll have to rinse it out with this water." He held up the small bottle and Spike narrowed his gaze as he sniffed the air. Fear filled him as he realized that it held holy water...

Suddenly, a snarl of rage erupted in the penthouse and Caleb turned to see Luna burn the Turok-Han to ashes. He sneered at the girl as she lifted her eyes, the orbs glowing silver and she said, "_You_." with such hatred and loathing that Spike winced.

He let the vampire go carelessly as Glory slammed Buffy into the nearest wall. The Slayer rolled onto her side with pain written on her features and Willow cried out as her eyes flared black and she strode forward, glitter falling from her hands. She clapped them together and cried, "_Evanesco_!"

Glory managed a shriek as she suddenly disappeared with a shimmer. Meanwhile, Caleb narrowed his eyes as Luna got closer and he said, his low with fury, "I killed you."

"Funny," Luna's lips twisted upwards. "I don't _feel_ dead."

"I can fix that," he snarled as he lunged for her. She easily swung her sword but the priest sidestepped the swing and laughed as he vanished in a flash of green fire. Luna snarled in anger and threw the sword to the ground, saying, "Damn it! Fuck!" as she ran her hands through her hair furiously.

Buffy groaned as she rolled onto her knees, blonde hair falling in front of her face. She blinked blearily at the ground and looked up to see Luna grumbling to herself as Willow and Tara watched from afar. She let her eyes wander around the now totaled room and the hazel orbs widened at the sight of Spike.

"Oh God," she said bile rising in her throat. "Oh God. Spike?"

She scrambled to her feet, rushing over to him and threw herself beside him. He was one large bruise and she could see that his left arm was completely broken, the limb at a forty-five degree angle. His legs, she noted were awkward and she just _knew_ they were broken. 'He's going to hate having to sit in a wheelchair again,' she thought morosely. 'Oh Spike...'

Gently, she touched his face, which was also bruised and battered. She winced as his eyes fluttered open, the sliver of blue peering up at her. "Slayer?" he managed pain written in his voice. "That you?"

"Yeah," she smiled sudden tears brimming in her eyes. "Yeah. It's me. We came to rescue you."

"'bout bloody time," he hacked, blood spilling onto his chin. Horror and panic filled her but Buffy shoved it down as Luna came over with Tara and Willow following. The Seer's face was dark and angry but it softened as she saw Spike's condition. "Jesus," she said. "Loyalty sure ain't something you're bad at Spike."

Spike snickered and groaned as a fresh wave of pain covered him. Luna sighed and said, "We're going to your house, right Buffy?"

"That's right," Buffy gently touched the one patch of skin on Spike's face that wasn't purple. "We should call Giles. I can't carry him in this condition."

"No need," Luna replied. She squatted down and grabbed Buffy's hand, touching Spike's forehead with her other hand. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, "Meet us at Buffy's place."

Then they were gone, a slight glimmer of silver light hanging in the air before vanishing completely. Willow and Tara both stared in shock before looking at one another and leaving the room.

Unnoticed, one of the small minions opened its eyes and crawled away, pain written in its body. It paused at the sight of boots and looked up into the smiling face of a boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He chuckled as he wandered over to the window and said, "That girl always gets into trouble doesn't she?"

"They've taken the vampire," Caleb said as he stepped out of the shadows. The boy shrugged as he turned to look at him. "I'm not worried."

"I never suggested that you were," Caleb replied as the boy walked through him and squatted down to examine the ashes of the Turok-Han. "We should prepare more for your arrival."

"I have no doubt," the boy said. "When it is time for me to be made flesh, you will do well Caleb. You have always been my most loyal servant."

"I am your vessel," Caleb replied as the boy straightened and turned. "I am yours to do what you will."

"How nice," the boy smiled his eyes glittering. "Considering you killed me."

"For the greater good."

"Bullshit," the boy said as his body shimmered and became that of a slender, dark-haired woman with large brown eyes. "You did it to hurt her."

"True," Caleb agreed with a wicked smile. "I did."

"Perfection has its price, I suppose," the woman sighed as she changed into a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a twinkle in his eye. "After all, this isn't about the Slayer or even that little Key. It's about my coming home." He laughed. "Now that's a thought. Wonder if my Faith would want to party? She was always such a sweet little girl."

The man turned into a beautiful African girl, whose eyes were hard and filled with nothing. "An' dat is da the impo'tant ting," she said with a sneer of her red lips. "The world will be mine to rule."

"Of course," Caleb said humbly as he bowed his head. The African girl laughed loudly as she became a creature with white skin and red eyes. Wearing all black and leather, the figure who looked like the Master smiled and said pleasantly, "So. Where' s the new puppy to do my bidding?" as Glory came striding into the room, an expression of rage on her face.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded as she marched up to the Master. The figure smiled and became a lithe young woman with dark hair. "Everything."

Glory's eyes narrowed and Caleb said, "Rest now, my God. I will do your bidding."

"Of course," the boy said as he tilted his head up. "You owe me since I'm dead."

"Come Glory," Caleb said to the HellGod. "We have much to do."

"As long as the Slayer dies," Glory hissed. "I'm willing to do anything."

"Well," the boy chirped as he turned and walked into the shadows. "That's good for me isn't it?"

- -

Dawn let out a screech of shock and surprise as Buffy, Luna, and Spike appeared in the living room. At the sight of her best friend and surrogate brother, she let out a cry and began to move forward but Luna's warning of "Dawn. Not now." stopped her in her tracks. She watched as Buffy left the room, returning with a large knife and began the process of cutting Spike's clothes from his body.

Knowing that her vampire would be immensely embarrassed at being naked, she rushed upstairs and returned with a towel, handing it to Buffy and going to get Anya. The ex-demon was already boiling water and preparing bandages. At the look on Dawn's face, Anya smiled and said, "I lived a thousand years ago remember? This is old hat."

Luna entered the kitchen and said, "Did you put sheets on the bed?"

"Old ones," Anya replied briskly. "They had that smell."

Amusement flickered in Luna's eyes but it vanished quickly as she looked at Dawn. "Do not leave here," she ordered. "No matter what you hear, got it Dawn? No leaving. Anya, tie her up if you have too."

Anya saluted her and Luna left the room but paused as Dawn whispered, "How bad is it?"

The Seer sighed heavily and looked over her shoulder at her sister. "Bad."

Tears filled Dawn's eyes and she sank onto the nearest chair, burying her face in her arms. Anya patted her on the shoulder gently as Luna returned to the living room, pausing long enough to see her sister kiss Spike's forehead gently. Smiling to herself, she opted to go and get the bandages first.

Buffy brushed her hand against Spike's forehead, smiling as his eyes fluttered open. He'd blacked out as soon as they'd arrived and she'd been worried she had lost him. "Hi," she said quietly and Spike murmured a soft, "'lo."

"We're at my house," she explained. "It's better than your crypt. Plus, I think Dawn will feel better if we're both here to protect her. And I don't want to worry about you not feeding."

"Ta luv," he mumbled, pain flickering in his eyes. Buffy took a deep breath and added, "Luna and I are going to set your arms and legs down here. Then we'll carry you up to my mom's room."

Spike mumbled a retort, eyes fluttering shut as Luna entered, arms full with bandages, splints, and a large white bowl. At the look on her sister's face, she shrugged and said, "Popped back to Giles' apartment. We'll need this to help with pain."

At that, the two sisters set to work. Spike's screams and growls had Buffy fighting back tears and Luna silent. In the kitchen, Anya had Dawn in her arms and rocked her back and forth, wincing at the sounds of the vampire in pain. She murmured soothingly to Dawn, running a hand over the youngest Summers' long hair.

After a long and excruciating thirty minutes, Spike's arm and legs were splinted and the rest of him was bandaged. The white bowl Luna had gone to gather glowed silver as the two girls maneuvered him upstairs and into a soft bed. He slept and Luna left, Buffy sitting down and taking Spike's hand in hers as she shed quiet tears.

_Next, Chapter Four: In All External Grace You Have Some Part..._


	4. Chapter 4: In All External Grace

_Chapter Four: In All External Grace You Have Some Part_

It had been two weeks since Spike's torture at the hands of Glory and Caleb. The vampire was still bed-ridden, his arm almost healed but his legs still unable to be put to use. After some deliberation (and protestation on Xander's part), Buffy had opted to have the Cockney stay in her home, knowing it was better to keep him in one place instead of moving him to his crypt.

Luna had taken Giles up on his offer to stay at his apartment. The newest Summers was still unable to get Buffy to trust her but figured that would change in a few more months. As for the Scoobies, she and Tara got along wonderfully, both of them on the outer edges of the Slayer's circle. Anya also became a friend of Luna's while Willow and Xander opted to keep away from the girl, figuring it would be better for Buffy.

It was a Friday afternoon and Tara was sitting in the living room, discussing certain magical elements with Luna when a shriek came from upstairs. The two young women ran up the stairs to find Willow standing in the door to Buffy's room and pointing with wide eyes. At the sight of the naked young woman, Luna said, "I had a feeling you were kinky Rosenberg but damn..." as the nude female twitched, her eyes wide in her face.

"Willow?" Tara said surprise and bemusement written in her voice. "Who...?"

"Amy," Willow managed with a squeak. "She's...I was trying too..."

"Amy?" Luna repeated then blinked. "Oh, right. The rat. Forgot for a minute there."

Willow stared at the Seer for a moment then frowned. Amy twitched again and said, "Um...can I get some clothes?" as Buffy came out of Joyce's room, holding two mugs. She paused long enough to look in the room and said, "Amy?"

"Hi Buffy," Amy waved meekly. "Um...I like your hair."

"Why is Amy naked?" Buffy demanded as she shoved the mugs into Tara's hands. She entered the room and grabbed her robe, handing it to the girl who took it gratefully. Willow waved her hands and said, "I was trying to make her back into a girl and there she was..."

"I...what's going on?" Amy asked. "I mean, how long have I...?"

"A long time," Buffy replied briskly. "Wills?"

"Oh!" Willow started. "Sure, um, well, Amy..."

As Willow began to explain what had happened since she'd been turned into a rat, Buffy, Tara, and Luna all went back downstairs. The latter going straight to the bowl she'd left since Spike's rescue. She dipped a hand inside and reached into her pocket, pulling out some herbs. Crushing them in her hand, she poured them into the bowl, her skin glowing silver slightly.

The front door opened just as she finished and Dawn bounced into the room, Xander and Anya at her heels. Smiling at the ex-demon, Luna said, "I'm surprised the shop's closed."

"I decided I could afford the afternoon," Anya informed her. "After all, I make enough money to support myself and Xander if need be."

Luna chuckled and glanced up, meeting Xander's gaze. "Hey Xander," she said with a tiny smile but it faded as he mumbled a greeting, leaving the room. She sighed and Anya said, "I think it's very rude of him to be that way with you but he won't listen to me."

"It's fine Anya," Luna smiled at the girl. "I wasn't expecting them to welcome me with open arms."

"But you were expecting something," Anya pointed out. "I'm sure Buffy will trust you eventually."

"I know she will," Luna replied as she watched her sister in the dining room. "I just..."

"Wish she would hurry up?" Anya guessed with a grin. Luna laughed at that and said, "Yeah. So, tell me, what happened at the shop today?"

As Anya began to tell her about a customer with a very annoying little dog, Luna didn't notice the glances being tossed her way by the three Scoobies. Tara watched from the kitchen and shook her head at the irritation in Xander's eyes. Leaving the kitchen, she joined the other two in the living room and smiled as Dawn came down, excitement written on her face.

Meanwhile, Willow, Xander, and Buffy had moved into the kitchen. Xander rubbed a hand across his face as he said, "Sorry about Anya Buff. She can't seem to get that Luna's not our friend."

"It's fine," Buffy said as she washed the cups she'd use to feed Spike. "It doesn't bother me."

"Buffy," Willow said with a frown. "You can be honest with us. Really."

Amy entered the kitchen and Xander started, having already been told about her return but unable to not gape at the girl. She stopped and said awkwardly, "Hey Xander."

"Amy!" Xander said stunned. "Hi. Don't you look...human?"

Buffy winced at the inane comment but didn't turn around as Willow made Amy some food and sat with her. Drying the two mugs, she started as Xander said, his voice flat, "Deadboy Junior upstairs?"

"I'm not doing this with you Xander," Buffy said tightly as she moved over to the fridge. Opening the freezer, she pulled out a bag of frozen buffalo wings and began to prepare a pan. Sliding them into the oven, she turned it up to three-seventy-five and sighed wearily as Xander said, "Well, I don't know why you don't just dump him in his crypt. I doubt he didn't spill."

"He didn't," she said wearily. "Will did a truth spell and Tara did too. Plus, Luna said he was telling the truth."

"And Luna's so trustworthy?"

"Xander," Buffy said spinning to face him. "I _know_ you don't like Spike. I've heard you bitch about it for years. I've listened to your complaining for two weeks straight. I'm tired. I'm sick of you saying the same thing over again. So quit would you?"

"He's going to cut everyone's throat and then you'll be sorry," Xander argued as Dawn entered. She paused long enough to say, "Is he complaining about Spike again?" as she went to the cupboard and pulled out some chips. Buffy mumbled something in reply and sat down, propping her chin up in her hand.

Xander narrowed his gaze at the oven and said, "Who are the wings for?"

"Spike," Buffy said wearily. "He likes them and I promised to bring him some. And if you say anything..."

"Just want to say I don't remember you being this nice to Riley," Xander snipped. "When he was sick..."

"Spike isn't sick Xander," Buffy snapped her temper finally snapping. "He's been tortured because Glory and her friend thought that he knew who the Key was. And he didn't say a word. A lesser man would have spilled within five minutes."

"He's not a man," Xander mumbled and Buffy narrowed her eyes as she said, "You know what? I'm tired of this. Get out Xan. Get out and stay out until you can learn to accept that I am not your girlfriend or daughter or sister. I am my own person and I can decide who the hell it is that I will speak too."

At the sound of the oven beeping, Buffy marched over and pulled out the wings, piling them on a plate. Pouring two glasses of soda, she snatched some napkins from the counter and left the kitchen. Dawn and Willow both stared at Xander who was staring at the counter, his face blank. Shaking her head, Dawn left the room as Willow said quietly, "She'll forgive you Xander. I know she will..."

"Yeah," Xander said after a second. "Yeah. I think I'll go though, all right Wills?"

As she watched Xander leave, Willow felt herself grow sad and sighed heavily as Amy said hesitantly, "Who's Spike?" causing the redhead to stare at her blankly because she had honestly forgotten the former rat was there.

- -

She paused as she opened the door and arched her brow as she watched Spike struggle with his t-shirt. His abdominal muscles worked beneath pale white skin as he cursed at the shirt and finally threw it on the floor, irritation written on his face. Shaking her head, Buffy said, "Why don't you just wear your red shirt?"

"S'in the wash," Spike mumbled as the Slayer placed the plate of wings on a tray, along with the soda. He brightened at the smell of the wings and began to eat happily, Buffy taking one and nibbling on it delicately.

The tentative friendship they had struck up the night he'd been brought to her house was going on strong. Spike hoped that would keep Buffy from believing that he was unable to feel but had the feeling she was still hesitant to believe his wanting to change. Glancing over at the Slayer, he studied the color of her hair and eyes, smiling as she licked her fingers clean of the sauce on the wings.

"What?" Buffy blushed as she realized Spike was watching her eat. Despite her being friends with the vampire, she had to admit that Spike was the best-looking male she had ever seen. Even when they'd first met, she'd thought to herself he was a gorgeous creature and then been disappointed when he'd said he would kill her.

"Nothing pet," he sighed and asked, "Think you could bring me some reading material? S'bloody boring sitting and sleeping all the time..."

"I'll have Dawn bring you some stuff," Buffy got to her feet, stretching her arms above her head. "It's time for me to hit the pavement."

"For what?"

"Job hunting," she said wearily. "I've got to find some place to work to pay for bills and such. Mom's insurance won't last forever and Dawn needs food..."

"I've got some dosh in my wallet," Spike said hesitantly. "S'not much but take it."

"Spike-"

"Take it Slayer," he said quietly, blue eyes boring into hazel. "Your Mum...I promised her I'd do what I could to help you and I don't break my promises."

"You came back when you said you wouldn't," Buffy reminded him. "That's breaking one."

"I didn't promise," he grinned at her, tongue curling behind his teeth. "I agreed. Different thing entirely."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Why do I bother?" she demanded as she threw her hands up and left the room. Spike's laughter trailed after her and the Slayer's heart warmed at the sound. Since his staying at the house, she'd begun to see a different side to him: a gentle, teasing side that made Dawn laugh and smile in a way that had stopped after their mom had passed away...

Buffy paused as she studied the long-sleeved shirt in her hands. She remembered her mother standing at the counter, laughing as she told a story, and she remembered how she'd seen Spike sitting on the counter, his dark blue eyes filled with laughter and affection as he listened to her mother...

"What was she like?"

The question startled her and Buffy turned to see Luna standing in the hall, hands shoved into her jean pockets. The younger girl was standing, shoulders hunched up around her face, the navy blue hooded sweatshirt she wore harsh against her face. Buffy cleared her throat and said, "What?"

"What was your mom like?" Luna repeated, her eyes filled with curiosity and something that made Buffy ache in her heart of hearts. "I mean, I get flashes. From you. And Dawn. And everybody else. But...what was she really like?"

Buffy looked down at the shirt in her hands, the white color crisp against her hands. "Mom was funny and kind," she said after a moment. "She always knew what to say and what to do. She never...got angry with me about being the Slayer. She just accepted it..."

"After she threw you out?" Luna said with an arched brow.

Buffy laughed at the reminder. "Yeah," she said. "After she threw me out, she accepted it. I don't think she got it sometimes but...she accepted it..."

"Must be nice," Luna said in a tone that had Buffy looking up at her sharply. "To have a mom that doesn't judge you because you're different. Doesn't...hurt you because you see the things she'll do and you warn her and you scare her and her friends away..."

Luna leaned against the frame, her body slouched over in a way that made her seem small and fragile. "Must've been nice," she whispered as she looked at Buffy with haunted eyes. "To have a mom that loved you, even though you were different."

"Luna-" Buffy stopped, unsure of what to say. "I-"

"Um," Luna took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go and do some stuff. Rupert wanted to meet at the Magic Box. Tell Dawn I'll see her later..."

"Sure," Buffy nodded a lump in her throat. "I'll let her know."

"Thanks," Luna turned on her heel and paused, looking over her shoulder, eyes suspiciously bright. "I wish I could've had a mom like her. I think I...would've liked it." And she was gone, a shimmer of silver light in her place. Buffy took a deep breath, tears brimming her eyes as she sank onto her bed, the shirt clutched in her hands.

- -

Spike looked up as Dawn entered the room, smiling at the books she had in her hands. Chuckling, he said, "Did you clean out the library Bit?"

"No," Dawn huffed as she stacked them on the night stand. "I just didn't know what you wanted so I got a little of everything!"

"Is that poetry?" Spike asked squinting at the pile of books. Dawn grinned at him and said, "I figured you'd read to me."

"Oh, you did, did you?" Spike mocked her and chuckled as he reached for it, letting out a hiss at the pain in his arm. "Balls..."

"Here," Dawn plucked the book out of the pile and sat down next to him on the bed. Curling to his good side, she opened it up and said, "I'll hold it and turn the pages and you pick the poem."

"All right then," Spike smiled and said, "Ah, that's a good one!"

Dawn brightened and said, "Okay! Read!"

"Pushy little chit aren't you?" Spike teased her and she giggled as the door opened a crack, Buffy peering in through the slit. Spike tilted his head to the side but didn't look as he cleared his throat and began to read.

"_Now air is air and thing is thing: no bliss_

_of heavenly earth beguiles our spirits, whose_

_miraculously disenchanted eyes_

_live the magnificent honesty of space._

_Mountains are mountains now; skies now are skies–_

_and such a sharpening freedom lifts our blood_

_as if whole supreme this complete doubtless_

_universe we'd (and we alone had) made_

–_yes; or as if our souls, awakened from_

_summer's green trance, would not adventure soon_

_a deeper magic: that white sleep wherein_

_all human curiosity we'll spend_

_(gladly, as lovers must) immortal and_

_the courage to receive time's mightiest dream_..."

As Spike finished, Buffy let out the breath she'd been holding, her eyes wide as she watched her little sister smile and say, "I like that, who's it by?"

"E.E. Cummings," Spike replied. "Great writer of his time, real revolutionary..."

Buffy slipped away from the door, her mind and heart racing as she went downstairs in a daze. The poem had been one she'd read in high school and she knew then that it had her thinking of Angel but now...

Spike's voice, she shivered at the reminder as she left the house. His voice had been smooth and cultured and just...

Silk.

Soft.

She rubbed her arms briskly and kept walking.

- -

Tara looked up as Willow entered the room, her eyes bright as she said, "Amy's back with her dad and she's happy. I think I might help her readjust with being back, maybe do a spell to help her balance out her energies?"

Tara felt a small frown cross her face but merely said, "I don't know Willow. Magic can do some strange things with people, especially if they've been covered in it..."

"Oh, I know what I'm doing," Willow said airily as she sat down on the bed. "Don't worry baby."

Tara narrowed her gaze at her and said carefully, "Uh-huh. Right. Um, how's Xander?"

Willow frowned and sighed heavily as she laid down on her stomach, propping her chin up in her hands. "I don't know why Buffy's being so defensive," she said. "I mean, I get that Spike was protecting Dawnie, I do but I don't know. I guess I thought she'd listen to her friends more..."

"Xander doesn't do a lot of listening either," Tara pointed out gently. "He pretty much just yells. A lot."

"I know," Willow sighed. "And I've told him we can't have Buffy feeling like we judge her. We need her to know that we support her but she makes so many decisions that blow up in her face Tara. I don't want her to get hurt."

"Buffy is the Slayer, Willow," Tara said quietly. "She's used to making decisions that'll hurt her. And she sees the bigger picture. I know Xander thinks he's got some sort of claim on her, being her friend and all but-"

"Xander doesn't think of Buffy as property!" Willow said horrified. "God, no Tara! He just...he's concerned and he worries and I just wish I could make it better." She sighed and said, "I mean, I know you don't know Buffy and Xander as well as I do and they're my friends and I just-"

"Your friends?" Tara said hurt creeping into her voice. "Oh, I get it. Since I'm not really Buffy or Xander's friend, like Anya, my opinion doesn't count?"

"No!" Willow cried as she sat up. "God, Tara, no! That's not it at all!"

"Isn't it?" Tara asked as she got to her feet and glared at her. "I mean, I know I haven't known any of your friends that long and I know that I don't really talk to them much but I thought that I could count them as my friends, Willow!"

"Tara, sweetie," Willow said soothingly. "I didn't mean that you aren't Buffy and Xander's friend, I just meant that-"

"Because you've known them longer," Tara finished for her. "You know them better? That's...God, Willow, that's just ridiculous!"

"Tara-"

"And I think it's mean of you and Xander to be so rude to Luna," Tara added angrily. "She's so lost and confused and you two aren't helping!"

Jealousy flickered in Willow's eyes and she got to her feet as she said, "Luna isn't anyone's friend Tara! She's just here to...mess with Buffy's head! I don't even think she's really Buffy's sister, either! I think she's just..."

"Pulling magic?" Tara asked. "Doing something with our minds? She's not Willow. She's a really nice girl who's really scared and confused. Just because she has powers doesn't mean she's evil..."

"And you're such an expert?" Willow scoffed. "Yeah, you've only known her for what? A few weeks? Don't be stupid Tara!"

Tara's eyes narrowed and grew icy as she straightened. "Stupid? Excuse me?"

Willow deflated. "I don't want to fight. I just...Tara, please try and understand? I want to help Buffy and Xander be friends again and I don't know how..."

"Maybe you shouldn't help," Tara said icily. "Maybe your help will make it worse Willow, ever think of that?"

Willow looked at the floor. "No."

Tara sighed, her anger deflating. "I'm tired. I think I'll take a shower."

"Can we forget," Willow asked as she watched Tara gather together her bath things. "And...pretend this never happened?"

"Yeah, sure," Tara mumbled. "Whatever."

Willow smiled happily and watched as Tara left the room. Going over to the bureau, she picked up a sprig of lavender and placed it in her palm. "Forget," she murmured as Tara entered the room, saying, "I forgot my soap..."

Watching her for a moment, Willow said hopefully, "We're okay?"

Tara looked up, a smile lighting her face. "Yeah. Why wouldn't we be?"

- -

Luna rubbed her eyes as she entered the room she was staying in. Giles had bid her good night as soon as they'd entered and she had stayed up to watch TV for a few minutes before going to bed. Shedding her clothing, the Seer pulled on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt before crawling into bed. She had joined Buffy for a quick patrol, Giles coming along to see her abilities and fighting skill.

She yawned into the pillow as the days events crowded into her. Closing her eyes, the Seer drifted into sleep, her body turning restlessly as she Saw what could occur if things didn't go to plan...

"_Look at that!" the white witch cries and there are things missing from her mind. Things that are important and easy to recall if they are there..._

"_Look at that! The light!"_

_Horror fills the air. _

"_Such pure green energy..."_

_And the Hellgod takes her._

Luna woke with a gasp, her eyes widening as she shot up in bed. Panting, she pressed a hand to her chest and stared at the wall without really seeing it. Her lips thinned and she looked up at the ceiling, her eyes flickering between silver and hazel as she whispered fiercely, "No. I won't let her be taken..."

The Sight that she remembered from before...

"I won't let Buffy die," she whispered fiercely as she looked up at the ceiling. "I won't, you hear me? I'll stop your stupid plan and stupid ideals. I created you and I can certainly stop a plan of yours..."

Silence and Luna exhaled sharply, shakily as she got to her feet and went to dress.

_Next Chapter Five: From Hands of Falsehood..._


	5. Chapter 5: From Hands of Falsehood

_Chapter Five: From Hands of Falsehood_

Spike awoke with a snort, his eyes opening to find himself with a mouthful of chestnut hair. He wiped it away with a grunt, peering down to see Dawn fast asleep on his chest. Smiling at the sleeping form of the girl, he looked up as the door opened and Tara peeked in. He waved her in and said softly, "I don't want to wake her..."

"She has school though," Tara whispered back as she went over to the bed and smiled at the sight of the gangly teen curled up on top of the vampire. "And she can't miss anymore."

Spike sighed and nodded, gently touching Dawn with his good hand. "Bit? Hey, morning," he grinned at Dawn as her eyes fluttered open, a sliver of blue showing as she yawned sleepily. "School Bit..."

"Huh?" Dawn whined sleepily as she rubbed her eyes, looking younger than her fourteen years. "What?"

"Dawnie," Tara said gently, amusement written in her face. "School today sweetie. You should go shower and get dressed. Willow and I will take you..."

"Ok," Dawn mumbled, yawning again as she sat up, swinging her legs out of bed. "See you later Spike...love you..."

"Ditto Bit," Spike said, thoroughly charmed by her antics. Shaking his head as the youngest Summers left the room, he looked up at the blonde witch, grinning at the laughter in her eyes. "Cute, isn't she?"

"She seemed so peaceful," Tara said with a smile. "I'm glad she found comfort with you Spike. She hasn't...she didn't..."

"Yeah," Spike smiled at the witch. "Yeah, the Bit's a lot like her sis in that retrospect. Shutting off her emotions and the like." He stretched his neck from side to side and said wearily, "Glad I could be service though..."

"Would you like some blood?" Tara offered as she studied him. "I think it's best if you drink down three today. Heal up quicker."

"Want to be rid me eh Glinda?" Spike teased and Tara blushed, the color painting her cheeks prettily. He laughed and waved his good hand at her, saying, "Teasing love. Just teasing."

"Oh, I know," Tara winked at him, eyes sparkling with laughter. "I just realized why Buffy keeps you around. You're very cute when you aren't trying to convince everyone that you're evil." With that, the white witch swept out of the room and left Spike gaping after her. He shook his head slowly at the comment and murmured, "Impish little thing, isn't she?" before settling back down to sleep.

--

Buffy woke up with a start as she sat up, the sofa squeaking beneath her. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes tiredly as Willow came down the stairs, dressed in jeans and a dark green sweater with a v-neck. The redhead peered at her friend and said, "Buffy? Did you sleep here all night?"

"Yeah," Buffy yawned as she got to her feet. "I was so exhausted when I got back from patrol..."

"A lot of vamps were out?"

"No," Buffy sighed. "There was a few vampires but I was really looking for Glory. Couldn't find her but I figured she was in hiding." The Slayer stretched and said, "Think I'll go catch a few more hours after I give Spike his breakfast. And why did that sound like I was talking about a pet?"

Willow hid a smile as Tara came from the living room, three mugs on a tray. She smiled warmly at the pair before saying, "Go get some sleep Buffy. I'll take Spike his blood."

"Oh, thanks Tara," Buffy said with a grateful smile. She left, not seeing the frown that graced Willow's face as Tara went up the stairs after her. The redheaded witch scowled as she wondered why exactly Tara was giving Spike blood...

Tara returned, Dawn at her heels and the two went into the kitchen, Willow trailing after them. After eating a quick breakfast and dropping Dawn off at school, the lovers walked towards the Sunnydale University campus.

Willow glanced at Tara and said casually, "So Spike asked you to bring him blood?"

"Hmm?" Tara blinked at her. "Oh, no. I offered. Dawn fell asleep on top of him and I offered to get him the blood after she went to shower. I figured it was only polite..."

"I think you should be careful," Willow said haughtily. "Spike isn't trustworthy."

Tara's eyes narrowed and she turned to face Willow. "That's horrible to say, Willow," her girlfriend said angrily. "Spike would die for Dawn and for Buffy. You know that. I don't understand why you can't give him a chance."

"And _I_ don't understand how you can be so naive!" Willow snapped. "He doesn't care about us or anyone else. All he wants is to get into Buffy's pants! He's a vampire and he has nothing good in him!"

"You're wrong," Tara said stiffly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I've seen his aura Willow. It's nothing like other vampires. It has color in it. So many that I've lost track. He _loves_ Buffy and Dawn. I know he does because I can _see_ it."

"Whatever," Willow said angrily. "Go and be with your best friend Spike and your friend Luna. Apparently, I'm not good enough!" She strode past Tara angrily and the white witch spun around to gape after her, blue eyes troubled as she thought, 'Oh Willow, what's wrong with you?'

- -

Luna walked down the street towards the Magic Box, her black knee-length trench flaring behind her like wings. She paused as she heard a wolf whistle and turned to look at a group of young men standing on the corner. Shaking her head, the Seer crossed the street at a jog and entered the Magic Box, pausing as she saw Anya look up and then look down with a frown.

"Good morning Anya," she greeted the ex-demon with a smile but it faded as the young woman said, "I'm sorry but unless you're going to purchase something, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Anya?" Luna said with a frown. "Anya, what is it? What's bothering you?"

A quick flash of thought, a scene flashed before her, and Luna took a step back, hurt written on her features as the other woman looked up with a gasp. "Oh!" Anya cried. "Oh, Luna! I'm so sorry, I forgot that you could read minds and I just..."

"You believe that?" Luna whispered sadly. "You believe that I'm only nice to you because of Buffy?"

"I don't know," Anya wailed as she buried her head into her hands. "I don't know what to believe. Xander knows Buffy so well and Willow and I just don't fit in..."

"Anya," Luna said quietly. "I swear to you, I like you for who you are. Not who you know. I don't care about your past or who you're dating or how much money you're making." She shrugged slightly. "I just want a friend. Is that so bad?"

"No," Anya agreed softly. "It isn't. But Xander is the man I love and I don't want to hurt him."

"Well, then," Luna tilted her chin up slightly, sadness in her eyes. "I guess I should go. Tell Rupert that I want everyone to go to Buffy and Dawn's home later today, around six. I have information..."

"All right," Anya agreed and watched as Luna turned, walking towards the front door. "I want you to know," she called stopping the Seer in her tracks. "That I would've liked to have been your friend. I think we would've complimented each other nicely."

Luna said nothing merely opened the door and walked outside. Anya sighed heavily and buried her head into her hands. Outside, Luna leaned against the side of the store, tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. Wiping at her eyes, she thought, 'You knew she would choose him. You knew...'

She straightened her shoulders and walked down the street. Despite her knowledge of the future, of things to come, Luna knew that she wasn't prepared for the pain...

No matter what she told herself.

Meanwhile, Anya sat in the store, staring at her hands as she thought to herself. She didn't look up as Giles entered, saying, "Good morning Anya..." or how he paused at her quiet reply to look at her. Concern filled the Watcher's eyes as he said, "Anya? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Anya said quietly as she looked up at Giles. "I'm perfectly fine."

"I see," Giles said slowly. He frowned and said, "What is bothering you?"

"Do you think," Anya began as she looked at him. "That I can't make friends of my own? That I'm incapable of it? That I have nothing to offer other than money smarts or absolutely no tact?"

"What in the world brought this on?" Giles asked, disturbed at the sadness in her eyes.

"Xander and Willow think that Luna's only being nice to me," Anya said softly. "And Tara because of Buffy. They say that she doesn't really care about us, just tolerates us. Do you think they're right?"

Giles pulled off his glasses, saying, "Uh, when did they say this to you?"

"They didn't," Anya said quietly. "I overheard Xander on the phone. He told Willow that he didn't want me to get hurt so he would ask me to stop being Luna's friend..."

Tears filled the ex-demon's eyes as she sobbed, "And I don't _want_ to stop being her friend! I _like_ her because she doesn't think I'm weird or stupid because I ask things or that I talk too much about money and she doesn't care about my past!"

Giles blinked a few times at the venom and fury in Anya's voice. Placing his glasses back onto his face, he said delicately, "And you...?"

"I hurt Luna's feelings," Anya whispered. "She came in about twenty minutes ago. And I told her I didn't want to hurt Xander's feeling so we couldn't be friends anymore..."

"Oh, my dear girl," Giles sighed heavily as he reached out to take Anya's hands in his. "Anya, I know you have lived many years but sometimes you are still so young. Xander should not force you to do anything you do not want. It isn't right of him to make you do anything, no matter how much he says he loves you or how much you love him."

Giles studied Anya's tear streaked face and continued, "Furthermore, I am deeply disappointed that he would believe such a thing of Luna. She's younger than all of you except Dawn and is lost and confused. I've spoken with her about her past and I am amazed at the courage in that girl. She deserves our respect and trust." A frown creased his brow as he added, "Which I find Willow and Xander are to be taught of. I will speak to them both later today."

Anya nodded sniffling miserably and Giles smiled as he wiped her face with a handkerchief. "Come now," he said gently. "No more tears."

"All right," the young woman said softly. "Thank you Giles."

Giles smiled in reply.

- -

Glory scowled as Caleb led her down into a pit, her eyes narrowing as she looked around. "Well," she said sarcastically. "I'm impressed. I didn't think priests hung out in pits of dirt."

"Don't you feel it?" Caleb asked the Hellgod as he went to the middle of the room. "The power that lies here?" He picked up two shovels that were shoved into the dirt and tossed one to the Hellgod, saying, "Start digging."

"Excuse me?" Glory said arching her brow as she held out the shovel with distaste written on her features. "I _do not_ do dirty work. That's what I have minions for," she added brightly causing Caleb to sigh heavily as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Either you shovel," he said through gritted teeth. "Or I _make_ you shovel." He smiled charmingly and Glory let out a huff of irritation as she went over beside him, saying, "Fine! But I'd like to state that this is completely beneath me and next time, I bring minions."

Caleb grunted in retort and soon the two had unearthed a section of the seal that held the the Hellmouth. He allowed a smile to cross his features and looked up as the figure of his Master slid out of the shadows. The dark-haired boy smiled at the seal and said, pleasure lining his voice, "Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it? Such craftsmanship!"

Glory frowned and said, "What is it?"

"The beginning," the boy said. "And the end."

"Riddles are irritating," the Hellgod snapped and the boy laughed as his form changed into that of tall, willowy woman with deep pools of black for eyes and hair like ink. She swayed to music only she could hear and said, "It's the King's picnic and birthday, rolled into one! There'll be sweets for those who hunger and play the game..."

Glory frowned deeper and Caleb said, "Shall we open it my Master?"

"It's not time yet," the woman said eerily as her body changed again to a dark, brooding man with dark eyes. "It's not nearly time," the figure who looked like Angelus murmured. "This world will open it's jaws and swallow all of us whole." A malicious grin spread across his face. "I can't wait to hear the virgin's scream in sorrow and pain, like a sonata."

"We need blood to open it," Caleb said respectfully. "An innocent perhaps?"

"No," Angelus drawled as he became a slim Asian girl with sad eyes. "No, a vampire's. A vampire who has killed a Slayer." A slow smile spread across her face as she changed into a vampire familiar to both of the super humans. "And I think you've got some huntin' to do. A little violence never harmed a soul...much."

Glory sneered and Caleb bowed his head in difference as the blonde who looked like Spike laughed.

--

Luna looked up as familiar voices sounded down the block. Taking a drag of her cigarette, she nodded towards Tara and Dawn as they walked up the front door. Dawn frowned and said, "Why are you waiting outside?" as she studied her sister's face. Luna shrugged and said quietly, "Didn't feel like listening to the whispers."

The Seer stood up, dropping the cigarette on the ground and crushed it beneath her booted foot. She motioned for the other two to pass and frowned as Tara walked by her. Grabbing Tara's arm, she said lowly, "Tara. Has something happened to you?"

"No," Tara said blinking at her. "Why?"

Luna tilted her head to the side and narrowed her gaze as she listened to Tara's thoughts. She let the white witch go and said, "You're missing memories."

"What?" Tara said surprise coloring her features. Luna stared at her and repeated, "You're missing memories Tara. There's a slate missing in your mind. That's not normal Tara."

Tara frowned deeply and the two young women looked to the house. Willow appeared in the doorway and said, "C'mon you two. Buffy wants to start the meeting."

Luna nodded and said, "Yeah, we're coming in." She glanced over at Tara, who was slightly pale and took her arm gently. Tara inhaled sharply and whispered, "She did it, didn't she?"

Luna sighed and Tara's face hardened as she turned, walking up the steps into the house. Shaking her head, the Seer went after her and paused at the sight of everyone else. Spike was lying on the couch, pain written on his face as Buffy settled him down, saying, "I _told_ you that this was a bad idea. It's not like you can't hear from upstairs."

"Rather be in the thick of it," Spike retorted as he gritted his teeth as Buffy gently set his legs on the sofa. He groaned as flashes of pain fired up his legs and Buffy worried her lip as she peered at him. Luna shook her head and went over to the white bowl she had left at the house since Spike's return. Picking it up, she carried it over to the vampire and set it down on the coffee table.

Spike's expression of pain faded gradually until he looked relaxed. Luna chuckled and said, "Better?"

"Much," Spike purred happily as he settled down. "What's in the bowl?"

"Healing spell," Luna said. "I figured you'd need it. Plus, so would the rest of the occupants of the house if they got hurt somehow."

The Cockney vampire eyed the Seer for a moment and then said gruffly, "Ta then Luna."

"No problem," the Seer shrugged and looked around at the others. She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Okay. Let's start this then?"

Giles pulled out a small notebook and pen, causing Luna's lips to twitch in a tiny smile. She shook her head and said, "Right. Let me start at the beginning..."

"The beginning?" Buffy repeated and Luna nodded, sitting down on the coffee table. "I was four years old," she began as she stared down at her hands. "When I first got the visions. Not just of Buffy but of Dawn too. And of other things; things that you only think exist in your deepest, darkest heart of hearts. Things that are so evil, you can't believe that they're real..."

"His name," she said quietly. "Was Jamie. He was my best friend up until I was thirteen years old. We grew up together, shared the same birthday. He was my whole world."

Luna closed her hands into fist as she said lowly, "And then he was murdered. Killed. Right before his parent's eyes."

"Who killed him?" Dawn asked tears in her eyes as she stared at her sister. Luna lifted her head up, hazel eyes cold with pain. She looked at Buffy and said, "You saw him when we rescued Spike. The priest."

Buffy's eyes widened and she said, "A priest killed him?"

"A soul," Luna said, "Does not create a good man. Souls are fickle things Buffy. They can be good or evil. But they are not what makes a man, a man. Nor are they what makes a human, a human. Caleb killed Jamie to get to me. He works for It."

"It?" Giles queried and Luna looked at him.

"The First," she said quietly. "Caleb is It's minion, infused with the power of the First. He's evil, through and through."

"But he's human," Buffy whispered. "Why...?"

"Demons and man?" Luna turned to her. "Created by the same being. There is no pure evil or pure good Buffy. There are rare souls, such as Tara here, who are pure in heart and in mind. But there is not pure evil. Everyone has facets of themselves hidden inside. Demons are unfortunate enough to have those facets out there for all to see."

Luna sighed. "Jamie had known about my powers. About the dreams, the visions. Caleb killed him for it because he knew if I lost everything important, I wouldn't want to fight." Her eyes darkened and her tone hardened. "At least, he thought I wouldn't want to fight."

"Who found him?" Dawn whispered.

"I found his parents dead," Luna said, her eyes taking on a faraway look. "They were lying in a pool of their own blood. The name of a nearby church was written on the wall. So I went and I saw him lying at the end of the aisle..."

Buffy jerked suddenly and then...

_A flash and Buffy blinked as she found herself watching a younger Luna run down the candle lit aisle of a church. She fell to her knees beside a young boy with dark hair and dark eyes, screaming and crying as she lifted his head into her lap. Blood covered her hands and she sobbed loudly as she said the boy's name._

_A figure slid out of the shadows, the same sandy-haired man from the other night, Buffy realized with dread. He wore a priest's outfit, a smile that didn't reach his eyes on his face. He chuckled and Luna's head snapped up, eyes glowing silver as she glared at the man._

"_Murderer," Luna hissed as tears slid down her face. The non-priest laughed and said, "Oh I beg to differ child. I'm not the one with the blood staining my hands."_

_Luna's eyes dropped down to her hands and she screamed._

"BUFFY!"

She gasped as she shot up, almost hitting her head on Willow's chin. The redheaded witch stumbled back from the gasping Slayer and looked over at Dawn who was pale and trembling. Luna was silent, still sitting on the table, and staring down at her hands. Buffy winced and lifted a hand to her throbbing forehead, saying, "What happened...?"

"You and Dawnie fainted," Tara answered as she helped Dawn gently to her feet, gathering the younger girl close to her side. "When Luna said she found Jamie at the end of the aisle, both of your eyes lit up and you both fainted..."

"Lit up?" Buffy repeated confused. "What do you mean lit up?"

"Your eyes were glowing red," Willow said concerned. "And Dawnie's were bright green."

"What did you do to them?" Xander demanded loudly as he spun to glare at Luna, who looked up at him with surprise. "You did something. A spell or something."

"I haven't done a damn thing," Luna said stiffly. "To Dawn or Buffy. They're my sisters and I would never hurt them."

"You did something," Xander insisted. "I know you did. What was it?"

Luna got to her feet, eyes narrowed as she said, "_I_ didn't do anything!"

"Liar!" Xander snarled and reached out for her arm. He grabbed her, yanking her forward, causing the others to cry out in alarm as Luna's eyes flared silver. Before anyone knew it, Xander was thrown up against the far wall, landing in a heap on the floor. Luna stepped forward, eyes filled with fury as she roared, "Don't you _ever_ touch me!"

Buffy stepped forward, angling her body to protect Xander's and Luna sneered as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I forgot," she said. "No hurting the human's right Buffy?"

"Back off," Buffy ordered as Xander stumbled to his feet, his face an ugly shade of purple. "Xander can't fight you Luna. I can."

"No," Luna said as she straightened her back. "You can't. Not if you continue to be blind to what's before your very eyes. Not if you continue to think that this whole idea of normalcy if meant for you."

Buffy's eyes narrowed as she said, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're the Slayer," she said. "The longest living one in history. Do you understand what that means Buffy? Can you possibly comprehend what it means to be filled with that power?"

Buffy was silent and Luna shook her head in disgust as she said, "I accepted my fate when I was a kid Buffy because I _knew_ I wouldn't get the white picket fence. I knew that I wouldn't be able to have a normal life because I wasn't meant for it. You were Chosen. Out of so many girls in this universe, _you were Chosen_."

She looked behind her to glare at Xander. "And he still believes," she said. "That a part of you will get tired of the life you've led and you'll give yourself to him. Demons are evil, right Xander? What of Anya? Cordelia? What about all the demons in this world who look human and are peaceful?"

"There are no peaceful demons," Xander spat and Luna laughed as she said, "Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night Xander. After all, you lied to Buffy about what Willow said that night, didn't you?" A nasty smile slid over her features. "Kick his ass, she said. Or am I remembering wrong?"

"What?" Willow said her voice alarmed. "Who's ass? What kicking?"

"Angelus," Buffy whispered as she turned to face Xander, her eyes wide. "You _knew._ About his soul."

Xander shifted uncomfortably and Luna shook her head, sadness brimming in her eyes. "He wanted Angel gone," she said quietly. "So that you could finally see him. But you can't force someone to love you Xander. Love isn't about right or wrong, it just is."

She looked around the room. "And I'm gone," she said. "I'll see you back at your place Rupert." With a shimmer, Luna vanished and Buffy stared at Xander, who stammered, "Buffy..."

"Get out."

The coldness in her voice and the hard look in her eyes had Xander deflating. Desperation fueled his voice as he lashed out, saying, "She's trying to manipulate you."

"Maybe Luna is," Buffy said coldly. "But considering that your guilt is written all over your face, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Get out. And stay out."

"Fine!" he spat. "Fine! Believe her! I don't care. Come on Anya." He walked towards the front door and paused as he turned to stare at his girlfriend. "Anya?"

Anya stared back at him. "I'm staying Xander," she said quietly. "And I'm...it's done. It's over. I can't...I can't _be_ Buffy for you. I'm not her and I'll never be her. And I won't be her substitute."

Xander's gaze darkened furiously and he snarled something unintelligible. The door slammed shut behind him and Buffy spun to face Giles. "I want to know everything," she said. "Everything you've found on Luna and the First. I want to know soon."

_Next Chapter Six: And Darkly Bright Are Bright in Dark Directed..._


	6. Chapter 6: And Darkly Bright

_Chapter Six: And Darkly Bright Are Bright in Dark Directed_

"Let me guess," Luna said as Giles entered his apartment. She sat on the sofa, legs curled beneath her, a bottle of beer dangling from her fingers. Squinting at him, she added, "Buffy wants to know about me and the First. And she wants to me explain what I mean by demons having souls, right?"

"Mind reading is unbecoming of you," Giles said wearily and Luna shrugged. "Can't turn it off," she reminded him. "It's not a light switch Rupert. It's a power and a curse. And a gift."

"Can't you just ignore the thoughts?"

"Believe me," Luna twisted her lips upwards into a supposed smile. "I've tried." She lurched up to her feet and added, "I'm getting some sleep." Walking past him, she paused briefly and then turned to look at him. "I know you think," she said. "I'm nothing but a troubled young woman. And I know you believe that demons cannot be good but they can. Spike didn't change because of the chip or because of a higher purpose. He changed because he has always been led by his heart."

"He's a vampire who has killed two Slayers," Giles said stiffly as he faced the young woman. "I tend to keep that in mind."

She smiled mysteriously. "You think you know what he is, what's to come," she replied as she began to walk up the stairs. "But the truth is? He hasn't even begun." With those words, she disappeared from Giles's view and left him with nothing but more questions.

--

_Buffy knew she was dreaming as soon as she opened her eyes. For one thing, her mother stood before her, wearing a long white gown and a bright smile. She turned and watched Dawn pick flowers off the ground and place them in a basket, Spike standing beside her holding the basket. The sunlight glinted off his hair and he laughed at something Dawn said._

"_What's he doing in the sunlight?" Buffy asked concerned and Joyce replied, "Because you are letting him step into the sunlight."_

"_Won't he get hurt?" she asked as she began to walk forward but paused as Joyce's hand caught her wrist. "No," her mother said as she watched Dawn and Spike talk and pick flowers. "He's protecting Dawn."_

"_From what?" Buffy asked and Joyce smiled. "He's always protected Dawn," she said as she led Buffy down towards a nearby river. "He and Dawn don't need you now Buffy."_

""_Mom-"_

"_Shh," Joyce hushed. "Listen."_

_Buffy frowned and then looked up towards the river. The sound of a girl crying had her frowning deeper and she said hesitantly, "Who is that?"_

"_Your sister."_

"_Dawnie?"_

"_No," Joyce smiled sadly. "Your other sister. She needs you now Buffy. More than you will ever realize."_

"_She's powerful," Buffy said quietly, a small bit of envy in her heart of hearts. "More powerful than me."_

"_No," Joyce turned and began to walk back up the hill. "She just learned to accept her power. You think you know what you are, what's to come. You haven't even begun."_

"_Mom?"_

"_I need to go now Buffy," Joyce's voice traveled back down. "Luna needs you now."_

"Mom!"

Buffy shot up with a gasp, chest heaving as she sat in the living room. She groaned and squinted as she rubbed her hands over her eyes, the ache in her neck making her wince in pain. Looking around, she blinked as she saw that Spike was sleeping peacefully on the sofa and sighed as she stood up to turn off the television and close the curtains. As she finished, she paused at the sound of raised voices upstairs.

Turning, she watched as Willow came rushing down the stairs and out the door. Concerned, she began to follow but watched as Tara appeared on the stairs, anger and pain written on her soft features. "Tara?" she asked concerned and the white witch turned to look at the Slayer.

"Oh," Tara said embarrassed. "Oh, Buffy. I didn't know you were awake..."

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked instead and Tara looked down at the ground, hair falling forward to hide the tears rapidly filling her eyes. The Slayer frowned deeply and Tara said softly, "Willow...she and I have been fighting but it's okay. We'll try not to bother you with our problems..."

"Hey," Buffy said mildly insulted. "Tara, you're my friend too, you know. I mean, I thought you were unless you don't want to be in which case I'll shut up now about the friends thing."

Tara smiled slightly and with a sigh, said, "No, no, we're friends. I just...I can't deal with Willow right now."

"What did she do?" Buffy asked. "What were you fighting about?"

Tara shrugged. "It's nothing," she lied as she turned and went up the stairs. "I'm going to take a bath and get some sleep. Good night Buffy."

"Night Tara," Buffy frowned deeply as she watched the witch disappear from her view. Sighing, she turned and paused as she studied Spike sleeping peacefully on the sofa, the white bowl Luna had left glittering silver slightly. She hesitated and then stepped foward, kneeling beside the healing vampire, ghosting her hand over his face.

He slept peacefully, his face drawn in an expression of contentment that made her smile slightly. She had seen Spike angry, resentful, jealous, hurt, and sad but never content. It made her feel warm inside her belly as she ghosted her fingers over his mouth. His lips parted and he let out a sigh that had her jerking her fingers back.

"_Buffy..."_

She smiled and kissed his brow gently before rising to her feet. Going up the stairs, she closed her eyes as she laid down on her bed. She slept and dreamt of a blue-eyed, fair-haired vampire.

--

Tara looked up as the timid knock sounded on her door. She smiled as Dawn poked her head in, saying, "Hey sweetie. What is it?"

"Can I talk to you?" Dawn asked hesitantly and Tara nodded, waving her in. Brushing her wet hair, she said, "What's the matter Dawn? Do you need my help with something?"

"No," Dawn took a deep breath. "I came to help you. You're missing memories, right?"

Tara's eyes widened and Dawn rushed to explain, saying, "I heard you and Luna. I can help Tara; I'm the Key right? Well, when Luna did that thing where I found out who I am, I learned what I do and I learned that I can unlock things. Like your memories. Will you let me try?"

"Dawnie," Tara said troubled. "I don't know if I should. Buffy wouldn't like it and..."

"She doesn't need to know," Dawn pleaded. "Tara, please? I want to help."

She hesitated, her confusion and hurt over Willow's obvious deceit making her waver. Finally, she said, "Let me set up a protection spell first. That way no one else but you and me will be affected. Okay?"

Dawn clapped her hands together with glee as she scrambled into the room, shutting the door behind her. She watched as Tara set up a few crystals, her eyes wide with curiosity. When the white witch finished, she turn and said, "Now, how do you want to do this?"

"Sit here," Dawn said pointing in front of her after a moment's thought. Tara obliged and Dawn crossed her legs beneath her Indian-style, Tara copying her with a smile. Taking Tara's hands in hers, Dawn said nervously, "Now, this is my first time trying this okay? So, bear with me..."

Tara smiled warmly and nodded, although nervousness gnawed at her insides. She watched as Dawn closed her eyes and her brow furrowed. Minutes passed and suddenly as Tara began to think maybe she should put a stop this, Dawn's eyes snapped open, revealing a brilliant green color as she stared at Tara. She cocked her head to the side and then smiled.

Tara reeled back, her hands falling from Dawn's as the fight arose anew in her mind. She gasped as she remembered Willow's harsh words of anger and jealousy. Dawn blinked, her eyes a clear blue as she said worriedly, "Tara?" as she reached for the crying witch. Tara shook her head and said softly, "I'm sorry Dawnie. Oh God, Dawn..."

"Tara?"

Tara closed her eyes and let Dawn gather her into her arms, weeping softly as she realized that Willow had finally broken the trust she had in their relationship.

--

Willow stormed down the street angrily as she shoved her hands into her pockets. Rubbing her cheek against her shoulder, she thought furiously, '_I can't _believe_ Tara would think I'm abusing my magic! How dare she accuse me of that!'_

Ignoring the tiny voice that murmured Tara was right, she rounded the corner and came face to face with Amy. The two girls stared at each other before Amy said, "Fight with Tara?"

Willow shrugged. "Yeah. You?"

Amy made a face and said, "As much as I love my dad, his wanting to be together all the time is starting to creep me out. Wanna go hang somewhere?"

"Sure," Willow agreed and they walked off together, Amy saying, "I know this _amazing_ place for us magic users..."

In Giles's apartment, Luna stirred but didn't awaken.

--

_Black. Not whole. Cut into two. The simpering wimp and the confident witch. She's confused, she's angry, she's hurting..._

_White light is gone._

_Tara. Tara. Tara, no!_

_This world must die. This world _stole_ her. It must be punished._

_Armageddon must be brought..._

Luna shot up with a gasp, her eyes snapping open as she stared at the walls of the room. She shuddered as she remembered her vision, the blackness in Willow's eyes and murmured, "Vision. Tara..."

Grief filled her as she remembered the white witch's fate. To die so suddenly, so simply in a world of supernatural causes...

She couldn't stop it, she could feel that in her bones. Tara was meant for greater things than mortality...

Luna slipped out of bed, pulling on her discarded jeans and grabbing a sweatshirt from her bag. Pulling it on, she slid on her boots and slid out the door soundlessly, running towards Revello Drive. She had the feeling something horrible was going to happen...

To Dawn.

--

Willow giggled as she stumbled into the house, shushing herself. She staggered to her feet and turned around, frowning as she saw Spike's sleeping form on the couch. Glaring at the vampire, she muttered, "I should stake you now." She stepped forward but the bowl on the coffee table glowed silver brightly, causing her to hiss in irritation. Grumbling, she turned and paused as Dawn appeared at the foot of the stairs, frowning at her with curiosity. "Willow? Are you okay?"

"I'm _fine_, Dawnie," Willow said giggling and Dawn frowned deeper as nervousness crept into her stomach. Willow stumbled past her to the kitchen, saying, "I had _such_ a fun time with Amy tonight."

"Where have you been though?" Dawn asked as she followed her. "We were worried about you."

Willow scoffed. "Right," she rolled her eyes as she looked in the fridge. She pouted and said, "No food." A smile lit up her face as she turned and pointed at the table, a plate of spaghetti appearing and making Dawn jump in surprise. "Yummy!"

Dawn eyed the plate of pasta suspiciously and said, "I thought you weren't supposed to use magic for things like that..."

"Please," Willow waved a hand dismissively. "It's not hurting anyone. Hey, it's early and I'm so not feeling tired. Wanna go see a movie?"

Dawn hesitated but nodded. "Ok."

Willow clapped her hands excitedly and said, "Great, okay, let's go now..."

She grabbed Dawn's hand and pulled her towards the door, Dawn grabbing her coat on the way with an expression of confusion. Willow laughed and said, "We don't even have to walk..." as her eyes turned black and Dawn shrieked as suddenly they stood in the middle of an alley.

"What?" she gasped spinning around. "Where?" Dawn turned but Willow was stumbling up towards an alley. "Willow?"

--

Luna staggered as she pounded on the front door, cursing under her breath as she doubled over. Pain flared in her chest as she gasped for breath and the door opened, causing her to almost fall flat on her face. Tara managed to catch her and said, alarmed, "Luna?" as Buffy came stumbling down the stairs.

"Where's Dawn and Willow?" Luna demanded hoarsely as she pushed herself away from the white witch. Buffy frowned deeply at the pale color of her sister's skin and said, "What?"

"Willow," Luna repeated. "Dawn. Where are they?"

Tara's eyes widened and she turned, going up the stairs and returning with worry written on her features. "Dawn's not in her room," she said and Buffy cursed, turning and running up the stairs. Returning in jeans and a leather jacket, she paused as she saw Luna standing over Spike, the bowl in her hands. The Seer tipped it over the sleeping vampire and he shot up with a shout, eyes widening as white light spilled from his nose, eyes, and mouth.

Spike blinked and said sleepily, "What...?" as Buffy rushed over to check on him. Surprise flickered over the Slayer's features as she said, "You're healed..."

Spike looked down at his body and blinked as he looked up at Luna. She shrugged and said grimly, "Dawn needs you. Let's go."

--

"Willow? What...?" Dawn hurried after the redheaded witch and Willow said, "It's fine, I just need to make a quick stop..." as Dawn looked around the room that suddenly appeared. She hesitated, asking nervously, "What is this place? Why is it hidden?"

"I don't know," Willow said as she walked towards the door. "It's cool, isn't it. Okay, you just hang here for a minute and I'll be back." She paused and turned her head to look at Dawn. "You want me to conjure you a magazine or something?"

"I _want_," Dawn said as she backed away from a guy sitting in one of the chairs. "To go to the movies."

"We'll make it, I'll just be minute," Willow said reassuringly but Dawn swallowed as the green eyes flickered black briefly. "And it doesn't matter if we miss the trailers..."

The door closed behind her and Dawn stared as she said softly, "But I _like_ the trailers."

--

"Where are we going?" Buffy demanded as Luna walked briskly ahead of her. Luna didn't look back as she said grimly, "I had a feeling that your friend was getting in to deep. She's with Rack."

"Rack?" Spike repeated disbelievingly and the look of confusion on Buffy's face, added, "He deals in magic. Black stuff, dangerous."

"So, where is he?" Buffy asked and Spike shook his head, saying, "You can't feel his place, it's cloaked. Unless you're a witch or a vampire or-"

"Me," Luna said as she stopped in front of an alley. Her hands flared silver and she said darkly, "And Dawn was here."

--

Dawn stopped and looked around the empty street, Willow doing the same. "What now?" the witch asked irritably as she turned to look at her. Dawn frowned and scanned the darkness, shaking her head as she turned to Willow. "I thought I heard something."

"God, you're becoming just like Buffy," Willow said rolling her eyes as she put her hands on her hips. "Paranoid and thinking everything is demonic..."

Dawn stiffened as a feeling crawling up her spine. She turned her head slowly and said, "I'm getting out of here..." as she began to walk quickly, Willow following. "Dawnie, don't," she cajoled. "It was probably just a cat or something..."

Dawn screamed.

--

Luna's head snapped up as a scream echoed down the street, Spike and Buffy both jerking to a stop. Her eyes flashed silver as she said, "We're too late..." as she took off, Spike and Buffy on her heels. Buffy's eyes widened in horror as she saw the crumpled car and her baby sister on the ground, a red demon hovering over her.

"Dawn!" she screamed as she flew through the air, Luna joining her as Spike rushed over to the fallen girl. Gently, he checked over the brunette's injuries, shaking his head at the sight of her broken arm. Luna doubled back as Buffy faced off on the demon, saying, "Dawn? Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Don't touch it," the younger girl sobbed as she jerked away from Luna's outstretched fingers. Luna paused, fingers hovering over her sister as she said gently, "I won't, I promise. I'll just do something for the pain, okay?"

"It won't hurt?" Dawn whispered, tear-filled eyes flickering up to meet Luna's.

"It won't hurt."

Suddenly, the demon began to scream and the three looked over to see Buffy staring at it with confusion. The creature dissolved into sparks and smoke, revealing Willow standing behind him, magic crackling around her fingers. She leaned heavily against a wall, panting as she met Buffy's eyes with her own black orbs. The Slayer broke the gaze and turned, rushing over to her sisters and Spike, saying, "Dawn?" as she saw her younger sister sobbing.

"What happened?" Buffy demanded as she knelt beside the crying girl. "Are you okay?"

"He was after Willow," Dawn sobbed. "She made the car drive..."

Buffy's lips tightened at that and she gently touched her sister's tear-streaked face, saying, "I need to see your arm, okay?"

"Dawn?" Willow asked, limping over to her, blood on her face. Spike snarled, his eyes flickering amber as Luna straightened up. "Oh god, there's blood."

"Not just on her," Luna observed as she stepped in front of the others. "Don't come any closer, you got it?"

"Is she okay?" Willow asked frantically, tears sliding down her face. "Is she okay?"

"Okay," Buffy said to Spike as they helped Dawn stand. "We need to get her to a doctor."

"Back off," Luna warned as she turned to help. Buffy paused and met the other girl's eyes, Luna nodding as the Slayer stepped away to face Willow. The witch didn't notice, rushing past her, saying, "Dawnie! Dawnie! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, it was an accident, I didn't see-"

Dawn glared at her, angry tears in her eyes as she swung up her uninjured arm, slapping Willow hard across the face. Buffy looked away while Luna tightened her jaw and Spike gently tugged on Dawn as Willow cried, brokenly, "Dawnie! Dawnie, don't!"

"C'mon now," Spike said as he gently led Dawn away, Luna following as Willow fell to the ground, sobbing hysterically. Buffy watched her baby sister leave and turned to glare at Willow, who sobbed loudly as she curled into the dirt.

"Get up," the Slayer ordered harshly and Willow sobbed, "I screwed it up, everything, Tara..."

Buffy shook her head and reached up, pulling Willow to her feet. "Yeah, you know what? You _did_ screw up, okay? You could have killed Dawn! You almost did!"

"I know!" Willow screamed at her. "I know! I can't stop Buffy. I tried and I can't."

"Bullshit," Buffy said coldly as she pushed Willow in the shoulder, hard. "You _can _stop Willow. You just _won't_."

"I can't!" Willow insisted. "I can't, I just, I need help. Please..." She fell into Buffy's arms, sobbing. "Please, help me, Buffy. Please."

Buffy stayed frozen, arms at her sides as her friend sobbed on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, pained as she said quietly, "I can't help you Willow. You're the only one who can." She pushed Willow away and said, "And I can't have you near Dawn or anyone else until I know you're better. Magic is in you and you have to learn how to control it. Until then, I can't have you near my family. Or me."

"You're abandoning me?" Willow whispered, green eyes wide and frantic. "Buffy, please..."

"No!" Buffy said stepping back. "No! If Luna hadn't come to the house tonight, _knowing_ something was wrong with Dawn, she would be dead, Will. Dead. My baby sister would have been _killed_ by a demon that _you_ summoned here!" She shook her head angrily. "I won't have you near her again. I mean it. I want you out of my house Willow. Out of my house and out of my _life_ until this, this is fixed."

"You trust Luna?" Willow hissed, anger flaring in her eyes. "You trust her more than me?"

"I trust her," Buffy said quietly. "To remember to do what it takes to keep Dawn safe. And I don't think you can remember that right now." She inhaled sharply and exhaled through her nose as she said, "I want you gone by the time I come back from the hospital. You wait until Tara leaves the house and then you get your things and go. Where, I don't care, Will. But someplace you can't hurt Dawn or anyone else."

"Buffy-"

"I'm sorry Willow."

Buffy turned and walked away, leaving Willow distraught and hurt. Anger flared in the witch's face as she screamed, "You're _sorry_! You aren't sorry you ungrateful..." as she rushed at the Slayer's back. Buffy reacted, her body moving smoothly as she threw Willow over her shoulder, swallowing as her best friend's form hit the ground. Regret filled her as she whispered fiercely, "That wasn't even my full strength. Don't test me Willow."

Then, she turned and disappeared into the night.

_Next Chapter Seven: Hast All the All of Me..._


	7. Chapter 7: Hast All the All of Me

_Chapter Seven: Hast All the All of Me..._

Luna looked up as Buffy entered the hospital room, an expression of exhaustion and sadness written on her features. She glanced away as the Slayer sat down beside her, saying quietly, "How's Dawn?"

"They're putting a cast on her arm right now," Luna said politely as she tucked her legs beneath her. "Spike's with her. We said she'd fallen down the basement steps and that Spike was her brother-in-law. He's married to you, not me. I'd never date anyone who bleaches his hair."

Buffy smiled slightly and Luna said, without looking at her, voice calm, "I take it Willow's moving out?"

"Yeah," she sighed wearily as she shoved her hands into her hair, leaning forward slightly to prop her elbows up on her knees. "God, what was she thinking?"

"She wasn't," Luna said matter-of-factly. "Look, Buffy, I don't know Willow. I know your memories of her, how she was when you first met and I'm betting she's not used to being powerful. She did spells that no novice witch should try. This was just going to happen eventually and isn't it better that it happened now instead of later?"

"I don't know," Buffy said quietly. "I don't know if it'll ever be better."

"Buffy?" Tara rushed into the emergency room, her eyes filled with worry. "I got Luna's message. How's Dawn? Where's Willow?"

"Dawn's fine," Buffy said reassuringly as the white witch sat down beside them. "Willow...she..."

"Was out of control," Tara said quietly as she leaned back in her chair. "I know Buffy. Dawn's not the only victim."

Luna looked over at her and Tara smiled wanly as she said, tapping her brow, "She blocked a fight we had over some stuff. Guess she thought I shouldn't know about it..."

"God," Buffy whispered. "What are we going to do?"

"Get a good night's rest," Luna said calmly as she saw Dawn and Spike heading towards them, the vampire holding the girl up gently as she stumbled sleepily. "And pray that this is the end of it all." She got to her feet as did the other two and thought, _'Although I have the feeling it isn't..._'

--

Luna yawned wearily as she stopped in front of the Summers's house, smiling as Dawn mumbled sleepily in Spike's arms. Carrying the girl into the house, the bleached vampire sniffed the air and said gravely, "Willow was here. She's gone now."

"Good," Buffy said as she entered, Tara waving towards Luna who returned the favor before vanishing in a flash of silver light. "I don't want her here."

"What happened?" Spike asked as he went up the stairs to Dawn's room, Buffy following. Tara paused at the stairs but took a deep breath before going to her bedroom. Opening the door, she listened to the rumbling of Spike's voice as Buffy explained what had transpired between her and Willow. Shaking her head, Tara looked around and tears slid down her face as she saw the empty spaces where Willow's things had been.

Suddenly, fear overwhelmed her and she rushed over to her magic chest, throwing the lid open and gasping as she saw the missing items. Falling to her knees, she whispered, "Oh, Willow..." as the tears began anew but this time they were tears of fear.

--

Glory watched as Caleb broke the young girl's neck carelessly, cut her wrists and throat swiftly before tossing her onto the seal. Shaking her head, she said, "Why do you insist on killing females? Is there something wrong with the males?"

"We need pure blood," he returned as he smiled charmingly at a young girl around the age of four. Taking her head in his hands, he snapped it with crack, chuckling at the glazed look in the little girl's eyes. Glory rolled her eyes as she filed her nails, her troll-like followers scurrying around with the shovels and pails as they finished packing in the dirt so it wouldn't fall onto the seal.

As she watched Caleb cut the girl open, the boy materialized behind him, saying, "Where is the vampire?"

Caleb sighed and turned to the First, saying, "He's a bit harder to capture now. The Seer has him under her protection."

"You show fear," the boy said coldly. "That is unacceptable Caleb. You are my vessel."

"I am your most loyal follower," Caleb insisted as he throw the body onto the seal, the light revealing two Turok-Han that snarled as they inhaled, throwing their heads back in glee. Glory arched her brows in amusement as one of the Turok-Han snapped at her minions and tossing her hair back, she said, "I want my Key. Where is it?"

"Are you that stupid?" the boy asked as he turned, morphing into the cocoa-skinned girl from before. Her red lips parted, revealing white teeth as she said, "It is dat which was not here before. What is it that the Slayer protects so zealously?"

A gleam entered Glory's eyes as she breathed, "The sister." She grinned broadly and said, "Oh, this is _delicious_. I'll just bleed her dry-"

"Wait," Caleb narrowed his eyes. "It can't be that easy." He turned to look at the girl and said, "What are we waiting for?"

"Oh, it's not what," the girl grinned. "It's a who. The little strawberry is going to do som'ting very, very good for us." She laughed wickedly. "So good, the Slayer will be helpless."

Caleb and Glory exchanged glances but smiled nonetheless.

And across town, one redheaded witch finished a spell.

Without realizing that all magic has consequences.

--

The next morning, Luna and Tara entered the Magic Box with Buffy and a subdued Dawn, whose arm was in a cast. Spike had obviously been the first to sign since the name _Spike_ was written in elegant letters with the object standing in for a regular _I_. She sat down at the table as Anya came out from the back room, shaking her head as she went over to talk to the youngest Summers.

Giles came out from the training room and paused at the sight of a silent Buffy and grim-faced Luna. Removing his glasses, he said, "So, I take it what Xander called me about is true then? Willow did summon a demon and inadvertently hurt Dawn?"

"I wouldn't say that," Luna replied as she crossed her arms over her chest. Spike entered the store then from the basement, Giles and Anya blinking at the sight of the vampire who shrugged and pointed at Luna, saying, "She did it. Still not up to par though. Legs aren't working as quick as I'd like 'em too."

"Give 'em a few days," Luna said off-handedly as she looked at him. "It's not a complete healing potion. Just a mild one."

Spike nodded and Luna smiled wanly in return to his unspoken thanks. Stretching her arms above her head, she said, "Willow thinks magic is her right. She doesn't see it as a gift anymore. It's hers to possess and control." She smiled grimly. "Thing is she's got none of the latter and a lot of the former."

"Willow wouldn't," Tara began to protest but Luna arched her brows at the witch's reaction. The grim and sad expression on the Seer's face made her pause long enough for her to remember that Willow had in fact tried to force magic to bend to her will. She stopped and said softly, "Never mind..." as the others looked at her with concern.

"She scared me," Dawn spoke up from where she sat beside Buffy. "Last night, she used magic like it wasn't important, like it was something convenient..." Dawn's voice trailed off as she struggled with her words. "And I don't want her near me. She's not the same Willow anymore." She looked up at the others, eyes brimming with tears. "And I'm afraid of her."

"Dawn," Giles began carefully as he polished his glasses. "I truly don't think it's necessary to be afraid of Willow..."

"Her arm is broken," Spike said flatly as he straightened up and went over to stand beside the terrified girl and silent Slayer. "Don't tell me that's not a big clue Rupert."

"I'm not-"

"Oh, honestly," Anya huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at Giles. "All of you are acting as if this is a shock. Willow has always been about control; even in high school. She had to be the best at getting A's and now it's the same thing except it's magic she want's A's at."

"Anya's right," Buffy spoke up, eyes trained on Dawn and Spike, who was speaking gently into her ear. She looked at Giles, sadness written in her eyes as she said, "I asked her to leave my house Giles. If Dawn doesn't feel safe with her than I don't feel right having her there."

"Buffy," Giles said carefully. "Do you really believe that Willow would hurt Dawn on purpose?"

"I'd like to say no," Buffy replied honestly. "But I can't Giles. You didn't see her last night. She attacked _me_ Giles. She tried to assault me when my back was turned and I had to defend myself."

"Good Lord," Giles murmured and Luna's head snapped up, her face turning towards the front door of the store. Xander entered, his face grim and angry as Willow scuttled in behind him, her head bowed.

A snarl rose in Spike's throat but he calmed at the look Buffy shot him and the terrified expression on Dawn's face. The youngest Summers burrowed herself in the vampire's arms and Luna slipped over to her, gently touching her hair and murmuring soothingly as Giles said to Xander, "I told you to wait, Xander."

"Willow is sorry," Xander said angrily. "Isn't that enough? I mean, c'mon Buffy, she's your best friend!"

"Xander-" Buffy hesitated but Tara interrupted her with a horrified cry. She threw her chair back, Luna spinning around as Tara said her voice trembling, "Oh God, Willow, _what have you done_?"

The others watched in confusion as Tara trembled, her hand at her throat as she stared at Willow. The redhead lifted up her head, confusion written in her eyes and everyone let out a gasp as the green flickered black briefly before returning to its regular color.

"Tara?" Willow said meekly as she stepped foward, hand outstretched, pleading written on her face. Tara shook her head, her hand coming up to clutch at her throat and she whispered, "You did it. You've let Glory know." She swallowed convulsively and said, "She's coming for us. For all of us..."

"What did you _do_?" Luna hissed as she spun to look at Willow, her eyes flaring silver. "What spell did you cast Willow?"

"It was just a small spell," Willow insisted as she stepped back, her eyes widening. "I just wanted to help. I thought if we could find out Glory was on her way to attack-"

"You opened the channel," Luna whispered horror written on her features. "You opened the bond between her and Dawn, didn't you?"

"What?" Buffy cried alarmed as she stepped forward, grabbing Luna's arm. "What did you say?"

"Dawn was created with our blood," Luna said not taking her eyes off Willow. "But she was originally created for Glory, by Glory. They are connected but the connection was severed when Dawn was sent here..."

"And now," Tara whispered as she stared at Willow, who grew more pale with each word. "Now, it's been recovered. Now, she only has to feel for Dawn and she'll know."

Buffy stared at the two girls before turning to Willow, her hazel eyes brimming tears and anger and hatred. "Dawn and I are running," the Slayer said her eyes not leaving Willow's face. "We're running as far away as we can and we're not coming back until she's gone." She looked at Spike, who held up his hand and said, "I can get transportation. Meet you here in thirty minutes?"

She nodded and stiffened as Willow said timidly, "Buffy, I'm-"

"Don't!" the Slayer's voice was like a whip as she whirled to look at her former friend. "You _do_ _not_ get to apologize or grovel. _You _caused this, Willow. _You _thought it would _help_, letting Glory _know_ who the Key was? _You _thought that I would be okay with it? Nothing you say will _ever_ make me forgive you for this. _Nothing_."

"We need to move," Luna spoke up, touching her sister's shoulder gently, her face grim. Buffy nodded and Dawn rushed forward, grabbing her two sister's hands. Buffy looked at the others and said, grimly, "Thirty minutes. That's all you're getting."

Luna reached out with her free hand and Tara took it, pain and jealousy flickering across Willow's features as the white witch refused to meet her gaze. Luna closed her eyes and then in a flash of light, the four of them were gone.

--

"Oh," Glory breathed as she stopped in her tracks, causing Caleb to look at her. "Oh, _delicious_..."

"What now?" the dark priest asked, bored and the Hell God giggled as she tweaked his nose lightly, saying, "I _know_ where my Key is. Oh, it's _fabulous_..."

Caleb eyed her for a moment before saying dryly, "Uh, you're kinda..."

Glory looked down at her body and groaned as she suddenly shifted. Caleb arched his brows as Ben staggered, narrowing his gaze at the red dress that decorated his form and chuckled as the intern said wearily, "I hate this..." as he snatched the bag the priest held. Rolling his eyes, Caleb said snidely, "Well, well, Doctor, what's your ailment?"

"Get the hell away from me," Ben snapped as he changed into his clothes quickly. "I'm not doing anything with you."

"Oh, but your better half is," Caleb smiled charmingly as he reached out and picked the doctor up by the throat. "And, son, you are _no_ match for me."

Ben clutched at the fingers, stumbling down the sidewalk as he gasped for air as Caleb walked down the street, smiling pleasantly. "Too much alcohol is bad for you," he scolded as they crossed the street, other people sidestepping them and eyeing them strangely. "I've told you that a million times, brother."

--

Luna watched as her sisters and Tara all brought down a backpack, smiling to herself as she held up her own bag and guitar case to the white witch's unspoken question. At the surprise and curiosity on Dawn's face, she said, "I'm always ready to run Dawn. Sometimes that's the best way to fight an enemy."

She slung her bag over her shoulder with ease and held out her free hand, Dawn stepping forward and clutching it tightly. As they all disappeared with a flash of light, the dark haired boy stepped out of the shadows and smiled as he murmured, pleased, "And it starts..."

He looked around the room and walked through the walls, up the stairs, into the bedrooms. Pausing in Dawn's room, he studied the pack of cigarettes left on the dresser and murmured, "I don't think this family will last Luna..."

A malicious smile spread across his face.

"In fact, I know it won't."

--

"An RV?" Buffy said dumbfounded and Spike shrugged as he finished shoving tinfoil in the windows, saying, "S'big enough for all of us and it's got a bed in the back so you and the Bit can catch a few winks. Look, Slayer-"

"It's fine," she interrupted with a weary sigh. "It's fine, Spike. Thank you."

He nodded in silence and Buffy turned to the others who were settling down. Giles took the driver's seat and they were off. Luna opened her guitar case and pulling out the white bowl she had taken from the house. She murmured under her breath as she pulled out a small knife, slicing the palm of her hand and letting a drop of blood fall into the white light. Ignoring the glances from everyone else, the Seer closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, her hand glittering silver before the cut healed before them all.

Xander and Willow huddled close together, Anya keeping her arm around Dawn as the youngest Summers trembled, her hands pressed together as she looked at the others. Buffy stiffened as Xander spoke up, his voice filled with distaste as he spat, "Why is _he_ here, anyway?"

"He found the transportation," she said coldly, refusing to look at him. "And that's it."

"He doesn't belong here-" Xander began but was cut off by Dawn's shriek of, "Shut _up_ Xander!"

Everyone's eyes widened as Dawn shot to her feet, tears spilling down her cheeks as she spat, "You and Willow don't belong here either but you're here! If it were up to me, I'd let Glory have that stupid witch because she's the reason I'm going to die! So, why don't you take your stupid hate of Spike and shove it up your-"

"Dawn."

The voice was quiet and soothing, the youngest Summers deflating into tears as Luna opened her eyes and held out her arms. The gangly teen took the offer, pressing her face into Luna's lap as the Seer hummed quietly, fingers weaving through her hair gently. Buffy's face tightened at the sight of her two sisters and she looked at Spike, who nodded. Turning to look at her two oldest friends, the Slayer said, "No more, Xander. Got it? _No more_."

Then, she turned and shut herself in the back room.

Spike sighed and sat down, smiling in thanks as Luna motioned to Dawn. The Key lifted her tear streaked face to meet Spike's warm blue eyes and whispered, "I'm scared."

"Don't be," he replied quietly. "I'll protect you Bit."

"Promise?" she asked like a child and he smiled, touching her cheek gently. Pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered fiercely, "Till the end of the world."

--

Ben stumbled into the Magic Box and looked around as Caleb entered, grinning as the dark priest let out a grunt of irritation. "No one here," the intern said as he turned to walk out and the priest said without looking back, "Do that and I break an arm, _and_ a leg."

"You know," Ben sputtered as he spun to face the other man. "I didn't ask for this! I just want to be normal!"

"We play the hand we're dealt," Caleb replied calmly as he studied the room. "I was chosen to be the follower of the greatest being in existence and you..."

"Nothing's mine, is it?" Ben asked helplessly. "This life, this body, it's all infected."

"I prefer the term," Caleb said as he turned and walked out of the shop. "Enlightened. You should be pleased, you know. Of all the beings on this Earth, the Hell God chose you."

"I don't care!" he replied angrily as he followed the priest. "I don't want this! I want to be a doctor and witness people's lives-"

"And deaths?" Caleb turned to look at the silent man. "Deaths are part of life, son. And you, you may be a doctor but you are also a vessel. Get used to it."

"I don't care how I came by this body," Ben said stubbornly. "It's mine and I plan on keeping it."

Caleb laughed and patted his shoulder. "You let me know if that works for you."

--

Buffy didn't look at her as Luna entered the room, merely opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling. The Seer leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling as well, saying, "Something I'm not seeing?" causing a tiny smile to lift the older girl's lips. The Slayer sighed and said quietly, "I haven't said it, have I?"

"Said what?" Luna replied as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

Buffy shrugged listlessly. "Keeping Dawn safe. Keeping everything from blowing up." She sat up and look at her sister, saying, "It would have been worse without you, wouldn't it? This all..." She waved her hand in the air. "Would have been worse."

Luna didn't answer; she didn't need too.

Buffy's shoulders sagged and she said softly, "I'm the Slayer. The Chosen One. All mythic and defender-y. Evil nasties are supposed to flee _from_ me. Not the other way around."

"Fleeing," Luna offered with a twist of her lips. "Is such a strong word. I prefer the term moving at a brisk pace."

"Quaintly referred to in some cultures as the big scaredy runaway," Buffy sighed. "At least things can't get any crazier, right?"

Luna gave her a pained look. "You had to say that," she muttered before her eyes rolled back into her head and she let out a cry of pain. Buffy let out an alarmed gasp and lunged forward, grabbing her sister's shaking form as the door flew open, throwing them both into the floor. Dawn peered over Spike's shoulder as Luna's body spasmed, silver light flickering inside her eyes.

"What the bloody hell?" Spike demanded but suddenly shouted, "Dawn, duck!" as an arrow flew through the window. He peered out and cursed, saying, "We got Knights on our tail Slayer..." as Luna murmured to herself in Latin, Buffy wincing as another arrow flew through the window.

She laid Luna on the floor, shoving her way past the other two and shouted, "Giles!"

"I'm on it!" her Watcher replied and then, everything went black.

--

Ben glared at the Turok Han as they dropped the drained corpse onto the ground, chittering in their own language. Glaring at the body, he turned and marched towards the stairwell, pausing as the First appeared, saying, "And where do you think you're going?"

"Away," he snapped as he walked through it. "As far away as possible."

"Oh, poor deluded Ben," the First tisked as he stopped in his tracks. "You really think you can stop your destiny?"

"This isn't my destiny!" the man shouted spinning to glare the boy. "I didn't want this!"

"And I didn't want this," the First hissed morphing into the Master. "Stuck in this form without tasting or feeling anything? Do you know how maddening it is? I mean, really, it's frustrating not being able to feel the cold flesh of a young, sweet thing or the hot blood of a fresh kill." He sighed dramatically. "I'd kill for some way to feel a neck crack beneath my hands..."

"You're mad," Ben muttered and the First grinned. "No, you are."

Ben shook his head and then stiffened, face grimacing in pain as he began to morph back to Glory. The First grinned wider as it became an elegant black woman, saying, "That's it baby. It's time to play."

Glory groaned as she cracked her neck, looking down at her clothes. "God," she whined. "Why is it I'm always in these stupid rags when I change back!"

"We don't have time for your whining," Caleb snapped as the Turok Han snarled. "It's time to collect."

Glory grinned. "Oh, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said," she purred and closed her eyes.

Miles away, Luna's eyes snapped open and she forced herself to sit up as she turned to look at the sky, above her since the RV's right side had been completely torn off. She swallowed and whispered, "No..." as the sky became blood red. The others stirred and Buffy groaned as she opened her eyes, blood dripping from her brow.

The gasps from the others had her turning her head upwards and she froze as she saw the blood red sky, Luna saying, "It's time."

"Luna?" Dawn said worriedly and the Seer gritted her teeth as she got to her feet, holding onto her side. She looked at the others and said grimly, "We need to move. _Now_."

Above them, the sky continued to turn to red.

_Next Chapter Eight: Kiss Me, Be Kind..._


	8. Chapter 8: Kiss Me, Be Kind

_Chapter Eight: Kiss Me, Be Kind_

An explosion rocked the group to the ground and Luna groaned as she staggered back to her feet, dragging Dawn up. "Keep moving," she spat through gritted teeth as arrows continued to fly at them from all sides, the Knights of Byzantium relentless in their assault. Anya was being carried by Spike while Tara and Giles helped Buffy. The Slayer's head was bleeding profusely as she stumbled between them, having slammed it against the edge of the door as the trailer fell onto its side. Xander and Willow brought up the rear, both of them silent as they hurried behind the others, the spell Luna had cast keeping the arrows from hitting them.

As they reached the gas station they had seen in the distance, Dawn let out a cry of pain and Luna let out a string of curses as Buffy stirred weakly, lifting her head as she murmured, "Dawnie?"

"I hate it-"

The voice chilled everyone's blood.

"When people-"

It got closer.

"Touch what's mine."

Luna shoved Dawn into the group, spinning around to face Glory who laughed as she said, mockingly, "Oh, what now, little witch? Think you can beat me?"

"No," Luna said with a thin smile. "But I can hurt you. A lot."

"Do you really want to do that?" Caleb asked as he materialized from the shadows, the two Turok Han setting themselves on the Knights. Screaming arose as the others watched in horror, Spike grimacing as he shifted Anya in his arms at the smell of blood that rose quickly into the air.

"Look at you," Caleb said with a chuckle. "Protecting those who don't deserve it. Just like him."

"Shut up," Luna hissed through gritted teeth as she narrowed her eyes. "You killed him."

"Correction," a boy stepped out from behind Caleb, brown eyes filled with amusement. "He freed me."

Luna paled, her eyes widening as she whispered, "Jamie...?" stepping forward and causing Dawn to cry out in alarm. Immediately, the boy laughed and said mockingly, "Oh, Luna. How could you let me die?" as Caleb stepped through him and punched Luna in the face causing her to fly back through the air and away from Dawn.

The priest cracked his knuckles and said, "I do so love it when you do that..." before walking towards the Seer. The boy giggled and looked at the others as Glory smiled wickedly. "Now," the Hell God said walking forward. "Give me my Key..."

Spike snarled setting Anya onto the ground, Dawn gathering the older girl into her arms as she watched her vampire bodyguard say, "Why don't you and I have a go, love?"

Glory rolled her eyes as Spike stepped out of the barrier. "I don't play with vampires."

Spike grinned as his face shifted. "Who says we're playing?"

And then he lunged with a roar.

--

Buffy's head swam in pain as she tried to figure out what was happening. She could hear the sound of fighting and screaming, the smell of blood was in the air and fear filled her as she realized that Dawn wasn't near her, Dawn wasn't...

Something filled her then; something that had been lying deep inside her but she'd ignored it for months now. She lifted her hand to touch her brow, heard Giles's exclamation of, "Buffy!" as she rose unsteadily to her feet, hazel eyes fluttering open.

Dawn was holding Anya and crying.

Spike was fighting Glory; his lean form moving with the grace she remembered from all their fights, his face pulled back into a snarl as he fought Glory with all his strength. Fury filled her and she narrowed her eyes as something primal rose within her. She snarled, eyes flickering red as she murmured, "No more..." and stepped out of the barrier. As she walked forward, towards Glory and Spike, she could hear Dawn screaming something at her but it didn't register.

All she knew was that this ended now.

--

Luna grunted as Caleb kicked her in the stomach, rolling and crawling away as tears slid down her face. Caleb laughed and said, "I love it when they crawl. Makes the kill so much easier and sweeter."

"Get away from me," the Seer spat as she managed to get to her knees. She could hear the others thoughts, everyone's thoughts on the field, the Knights's thinking about their god's wish to destroy the Key, to hurt Dawn and she groaned as she rose to her feet, clutching her side.

The Turok Hans slammed against her and she shrieked in fury, her skin and eyes flaring silver as she burned them to ash, panting as she landed on the ground in a heap. Caleb clicked his tongue in disapproval as he squatted down, chuckling.

"Now, why," he began as Jamie materialized behind him. "Would you do a thing like that?"

"Don't you remember," Jamie asked mockingly. "You don't do that unless it's necessary Luna. Didn't I tell you that?"

"You're not real," she sobbed as she closed her eyes tightly. "You're dead, he killed you, you're dead..."

"I know I am," Jamie nodded seriously. "And you know, it's funny, but it's not so bad, being dead." He grinned. "You can do some cool things. Wanna see?"

Luna's eyes fluttered, tears spilling down as Jamie's face morphed into the Master. "I think you're going to learn something about yourself. You'll learn you're nothing but a sad, hopeless little girl with too much power for her to handle. The Slayer? She'll learn that evil is everything. And the rest of this world will learn to worship me." He laughed, as his eyes twinkled maliciously as he became the African Slayer. "What do you tink of dat?"

Luna smiled, eyes filling with silver once again.

"I think," she said as she began to glow again. "That you're going to lose a vessel tonight."

The First blinked and started as Caleb began to scream.

--

The Hell God laughed as she batted Spike aside, saying, "What are you going to do?" as Buffy walked up to her. The Slayer smiled, her eyes glittering red briefly before saying, "This." as red light shot out of her hands and wrapped around Glory, who arched her brows.

And then the Hell God screamed in pain as the light burned her skin.

Spike groaned as he rolled to his feet, rubbing his head. He sniffed the air and spun as an arrow shot at him, catching it in his hands. Spinning it around, he threw it right back at the knight, cursing as pain shot through his brow as the chip fired. Spinning around, his eyes widened as he saw Luna rise above them all, her body glowing silver as she poured her fury onto the priest, who snarled in fury.

Rushing foward, the Cockney vampire grabbed Caleb by the neck and twisted, grimacing in preparation for the pain as the neck snapped beneath his hand. Luna fell to the ground as Spike slammed his hand against his forehead but nothing happened.

And then, a scream rose in the air.

Dawn.

--

Buffy flew past the others as Glory swung out, the red light streaking through the barrier and causing it to shatter into thousands of pieces. Willow, Xander, and Giles all cried out as Glory laughed insanely, rushing forward and grabbing Dawn's hand.

"No!" Tara screamed reaching forward and grabbing Dawn's hand but the youngest Summers slipped through her fingers as she tripped over Anya's unconscious form. Dawn cried out, saying, "Buffy! Luna! _Spike_!" as the vampire began to run from where he stood. Luna staggered to her feet, shouting, "Dawn!" as she limped as fast as she could, tears spilling down her cheeks as Glory began to run, laughing all the while.

The First chuckled as it appeared before the Seer, saying, "Told you."

Caleb rose from where he'd fallen and Luna let out a gasp of surprise as the priest lifted her by the throat and began to squeeze. Stars began to dance in front of her and she thought, '_No_, _no, I couldn't have used that much power, I couldn't..._' as she began to black out.

Suddenly, the sound of steel slicing through flesh echoed in her ears and she fell to the ground, gasping as she opened her eyes. Tara stood before her, a sword in her hands as she trembled, saying, "Luna..."

"Where's Dawn?" she gasped and tears filled the white witch's eyes as she said, "She's gone."

Luna's world shattered.

--

Dawn shrieked as she was thrown into the room, scrambling to her feet as Glory entered, eyeing her with a smile twisting her lips. The Hell God chuckled and said, "Do you know how long I've searched for you? Do you?"

The youngest Summers trembled as the Hell God paced before her, saying, "I mean, you know, it's not so wrong of me to ask for _my _property _back_, is it? I made you and that means you belong to me."

Dawn squeaked in fear as Glory grabbed her chin hard and said, "And you're going to make me so happy Dawnie. So, very, very happy."

Tears slid down her face as she whispered, "But I don't know-"

"What to do?" Glory finished and smiled. "You don't need to _do_ anything. All you _do _is bleed."

Meanwhile, Caleb grunted and laughed as he rose up, causing Tara to cry out in horror as Luna turned to stare at him with dull eyes. He grimaced as he pulled the sword out saying, "Why you stupid little..." as he turned to glare at the two women.

The Seer said nothing even as Tara pulled on her to step away. The others watched from where they stood, Anya having woken groggily as Buffy stumbled towards the two with Spike's help.

"Luna," the Slayer called desperation written in her voice. "Luna, we need to find Dawn."

The Seer didn't answer; her gaze trained on Caleb as he laughed, saying, "You can't stop this. This is the end."

"Yes," the Seer agreed as she opened up her hand and a sword lifted into it. "It is." Her eyes narrowed. "I owe you pain."

And she struck.

--

"_Dawn."_

_She refused to open her eyes but the voice persisted._

"_Dawn."_

_No, she wouldn't look, she wouldn't look._

"_Pumpkin belly."_

_Her eyes snapped open and Dawn gasped as she stared up into Joyce's face. "Mom?" she said voice trembling as the older woman smiled and nodded her head. With a strangled sob, the Key threw herself into her mother's arms, saying, "Mom!"_

"_Oh, baby," Joyce murmured soothingly as she rocked her from side to side. "My poor, poor baby."_

"_I don't know what to do," Dawn whispered and Joyce said gently, "You don't have to do anything. I'm here to help you."_

"_How?" she asked pulling away to look up into her mother's face. "How can you help?"_

_Joyce smiled. "By being there." She looked up. "Your sisters won't abandon you Dawn. And neither will Spike."_

"_Mom?"_

"_It's time, baby."_

"_Time for what?"_

_Joyce's eyes bored into hers. "Time for you to wake up."_

Dawn awoke with a start, wincing as the pain in her neck and shoulder ached. Looking around the room from where she sat in the corner she had claimed. She licked her lips and swallowed as the door opened, fear filling her as someone came in. Her eyes widened and she said disbelievingly, "Ben?"

Ben smiled at her sheepishly, saying, "Hey Dawn."

"What are you doing here?" Dawn demanded then narrowed her eyes. "You're working for Glory aren't you? Oh my God, you are!"

"Dawn, no," Ben tried to interrupt but the teen refused to listen, merely slapped her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut. Ben sighed and squatted down so that he was sitting in front of her, saying, "Dawn, please? Would you listen?"

"No!"

Ben arched his brows in amusement as she peeked at him. "Please?" he said again and the Key sighed before dropping her hands. She chewed on her lip and said softly, "What?"

"I'm not working with Glory," he said and she sagged with relief as Ben continued saying, "Do you know even what the Key does? What it is?"

"I'm not an it," Dawn snapped, her eyes flashing green briefly causing Ben to start and scuttle away from her in surprise. He jerked and his face shifted as Glory's body appeared before Dawn, causing her to screech in shock and horror. Glory blinked and frowned, looking around as she said, "What...?" before glaring at Dawn.

"Murk!" she shouted and one of the little brown demons hobbled quickly into the room. Pointing at Dawn, Glory said through gritted teeth, "Anoint this thing, nonw!"

"Your most evilness?" Murk asked as he snapped his fingers, summoning two other little trolls. Glory snarled, running her hands up her arms as she said, "I want this thing out of me. This human meat-sack who's infecting me. Do your mojo, cut me open, but I want him out!"

"This I cannot do," the priest said solemnly as he finished anointing Dawn. "You risk terrible magics in opening the portal. Nothing comes without a price and this is yours."

"Gods don't pay," Glory snarled as she reached out and jerked Dawn forward roughly. Leaning forward, she hissed, "Make me feel as bad as you want girlfriend. Tomorrow, you bleed little girl."

--

The Scoobies, Buffy, and Spike all watched in awe and shock as Luna's entire body lit up with silver light. It glimmered along her skin, in her hair, and in her eyes as she kicked, punched, and slammed Caleb into her ground. The dark priest was bleeding and broken, his eyes and mouth bleeding as he coughed from where he lay on the ground.

He laughed as Luna landed above him, legs spread open as she towered over him. Chuckling, Caleb said hoarsely, "So, is this payback?"

"No," the Seer said the light receding and forming a ball in her hands. "This is justice."

"Luna!" Buffy cried limping forward. "You kill him, you're just as bad as he is."

"Don't tell me that," Luna said never leaving Caleb's face. "You know what's he done Buffy? He's sacrificed girls, young girls that are babies. They've never even made it to kindergarten much less to their own marriages or children. And all because his god demanded it."

Caleb coughed, blood dribbling down his chin as he said, "It is my destiny, to serve him."

"No," Luna said as her eyes flared. "Your destiny is to die."

"And what makes you so sure?" Caleb mocked and Luna smiled, her lips curving up into a malicious sneer. "Because," she said simply. "I Saw it."

As his eyes widened in horror and shock, she let loose the small silver ball in her hands. Caleb's scream resounded in the air as he began to burn and soon, he was nothing but a charred skeleton on the ground. The Seer panted and dropped her hands, the silver in her eyes fading into her normal hazel color. She swallowed as she stared down at the skeleton before turning to the others.

Ignoring the stunned look on Buffy's face, she said grimly, "We need to save Dawn."

--

Glory narrowed her eyes at the reflection in the mirror, reaching out and flicking at herself. Grumbling, she turned away and paced the length of her penthouse, stopping long enough to grimace as she became Ben again. The intern shook his head and groaned as he became Glory once more, saying, "How do they do it?"

Morphing, Ben frowned. "Do what?"

"People!" Glory said spinning to glare at her reflection. "How do they function here like this in the world with all this _bile_ running through them? Every day it's woo-hoo, you have no control." She rolled her neck on her shoulders. "They're not even animals, they're just meat baggy slaves to hormones and pheromones and their _feelings_. Hate 'em!"

"Human's aren't animals," Ben said through gritted teeth. "This is humanity you're feeling. Welcome to the world."

"No, no, no!" Glory said furiously. "Little late in the game to start growing a backbone Benjamin! Now, be good and stay quiet! I'm strong and you're weak."

The First chuckled as he watched Glory argue with herself, moving with ease into the room. Cocking an eyebrow, it said in Caleb's voice, "Problem?"

Ben turned to face the priest and said, "What do you want?"

"Well, considering I'm dead," Caleb drawled. "Not much."

Glory arched her brows and said, "Aw, did you die, little human?"

"Stuff it," Caleb snapped before turning into Jamie. "How close are you to completing this?"

"Very close," Glory said and grimaced as Ben snapped, "I'm not doing a damn thing for you!"

"You're like a cockroach!"

"And you're a slut!"

"Children?" the First clapped his hands and said, "We do have other things to discuss."

"I'm not killing Dawn," Ben snapped and the First chuckled as it morphed into the Master, revealing jagged teeth. "Oh, boy," he said cheerily as he clapped his hands together. "You've got a lot to learn about the world. It's either the girl or you."

"Which means," Glory purred as she staggered to a chair. "That you need to think about this Ben, baby. Do _you_ want to die or live forever?"

"I couldn't live with her death for a day much less eternity!" Ben snapped and the First laughed as he said, "Well, it's either her or you. Make a decision."

--

Luna staggered towards the wall and slid to the ground, gasping as Tara rushed over in concern. Waving the white witch off, the Seer said weakly, "I just need to rest for a little bit and maybe some food..."

"I'll make something," Tara offered, leaving the Summers living room where Luna had transported everyone from the desert with the help of her and Willow. Shivering, Luna pulled her knees up to her chest, closing her eyes tightly as her body began to shut down. She stirred briefly as Spike gathered her gently in his arms, murmuring as the bleached vampire left the room to take her upstairs.

Buffy watched with exhaustion written on her features before turning to Giles. "We need to find out what we can about this ritual," she said and Giles nodded, saying, "I'll go to the Magic Box and bring everything back here."

"I'll come with you," Willow offered and Xander said, "I think I'll take Anya to the hospital. She's still not waking up..."

Buffy nodded and sank into a chair, her body trembling as soon as the front door shut. That's how Tara found her, muffling her sobs so as not to alarm Spike or her. Shaking her head, the white witch immediately went and gathered the Slayer into her arms.

Spike watched from the shadows, pain written on his handsome features as he slipped into the kitchen. He closed his eyes tightly as he thought about Dawn's screaming and whispered, "I'll find you Bit. I promise."

--

_She stands on the edge of the platform watching the light cracking in the sky, forming from a single drop of blood. Turns her head to stare at her sisters and smiles as she lets herself fall._

_This is her destiny._

_This is what she must do._

_It is written._

_And they live._

Luna awoke with a start, her eyes fluttering open as she sat up in bed. She stared at the walls for a moment before laughing quietly to herself at the irony. Getting off the bed, she padded over to the dresser and studied her younger sister's bedroom. It was a typical teenager's room with boy band posters on the walls. Sighing, Luna cracked open the window and lit up a cigarette, exhaling as she did so.

The person behind her chuckled. "A good girl like you, killing herself like that?"

"You're not him," Luna said calmly as she turned to glare at the First. The entity that looked like Caleb laughed, nodding his head, as he placed his arms behind his back. "No, you killed him right and proper," he agreed. "Terrible loss. This man was my good right arm. 'Course it don't pain me too much; don't need an arm, got an army."

"I'm not afraid of you," Luna said turning to look at him. "And we'll stop you."

"I doubt that," he said as his body morphed into that Jamie. "Don't you know Luna? Evil is all over the Earth. Everywhere you turn, there is evil."

"And there is good to stop it," she retorted narrowing her eyes. "You know how this works: evil comes and there is good to counteract it."

"I will overrun this Earth," the First hissed, a malicious smile crossing its features. "And when my army outnumbers the humans on this Earth, the scales will tip, and I will be made flesh."

"And I will stop you," Luna replied her eyes flaring. "You think you know what I am? You don't have the slightest clue." She turned around then, staring at the photograph of Dawn. She traced the laughing face of her sister and smiled as the First said mockingly, "This family? They will _never_ accept you or what you are. They cannot possibly comprehend it."

The First leaned forward until his lips were by Luna's ear. "And then you will be alone and you will be mine to control."

Luna narrowed her gaze at the mirror. "I would _never_," she hissed as her eyes flashed silver. "Bow to you."

The First laughed. "We'll see," he said and vanished.

Leaning against the dresser, Luna pressed her forehead against the mirror, inhaling shakily. She swallowed and looked out at the sky, whispering, "We're coming Dawn. I promise."

Next _Chapter Nine: From What Power Hast Thou This Powerful Might_...


	9. Chapter 9: From What Power

_Chapter Nine: From What Power Hast Thou This Powerful Might_

Dawn trembled as she watched the door open, swallowing as Ben entered, shutting it behind him. She studied him for a few minutes and her shoulders slumped as she whispered tearfully, "No..."

Ben looked away, saying, "I'm sorry."

"No," she said again as he rocked back on his feet. Ben sighed deeply and said, "Sometimes, Dawn, you need to make hard decisions for the greater good."

"Killing me is a good decision?" Dawn spat, tears spilling down her face. "I don't wanna die, Ben. I don't even know what I'm supposed to _do_."

He shrugged. "You will.." Ben winced as Dawn began to cry harder, curling into herself as she cowered in the corner. "Please," he begged as he crouched down in front of her, touching her cheek. "Don't make this harder than it already is. I got no choice; it's you or me."

Dawn opened her eyes to glare at him, lips thinning as she said hatefully, "Spike and my sisters are going to kill you. And I'm going to be glad about that." Then, she spit in his face angrily. Ben rose up, wiping at his face dejectedly as he turned and walked out of the small room.

Dawn watched him go before she buried her head into her arms. She rocked back and forth slowly, her mind racing as she let herself be buried in memories of the past few months. She screwed her eyes shut tightly as she thought of Buffy, of Spike, of the Scoobies...

Of Luna.

She smiled as she thought of her older sister; while she adored Buffy and wanted to be like her in many ways, Dawn admired Luna for one simple thing: she accepted herself as she was. Luna was harsh and brash and everything Buffy wasn't but she was also a hero like Buffy...

'_I love you_,' she thought to her sisters. _'I love you both so much...'_

And then, she let the tears fall, not knowing that her eyes glittered green.

--

Spike narrowed his eyes as he entered the apartment where Glory had been hiding. Surveying the room, he lit a cigarette and sighed heavily as he looked around. Taking in the arched doorway, he grimaced as he realized he stood in the room he'd been tortured in and then moved off towards the stairs.

Opening the door, he flared his nostrils and picked up the hospital ID tag with Ben's face on it. Realization dawned as he let out a curse, pocketing the ID and left the room swiftly, duster swirling as he left the apartment.

He got outside and moved swiftly, letting his vamp speed pick up the pace. As soon as he got to the building he needed, he slowed and entered, walking up the stairs and down the hall. Knocking, Spike waited impatiently and grunted as a voice called, "It's always open!"

Stepping into the room, Spike glanced around and the old man sitting at the desk said, "What can I do for you? Want some cocoa?" as he perused his books. Spike rolled his eyes and said, "No. I need information."

"Oh?" the old man said turning to look at him. "Oh, it's you. The girl change her mind?"

Spike scowled at the reminder of Dawn's brief moment of spell-casting to bring back her mother. "Yeah," he said. "Look, there's a Hellgod around named Glory. Need some info on where she'd take her sacrifice."

"You mean, the Key?" Doc chuckled. "Glorificus is big city. You don't want to mess with her."

Spike arched his brows slightly as he said, "I'll take my chances."

"That's a sure way to get yourself killed," the old man said as he turned to look at him curiously. "I hear she's awfully unpleasant. When it comes to hellgods, my best advice is to get out of the way and stay there."

Spike smiled tightly as he fumbled for his cigarettes. "Love too," he said lighting one as he eyed Doc. "Can't." Doc shrugged as he got out of his chair and walked over to a chest of drawers, saying, "Well, I might know a guy who knows a guy in China..."

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to get to China?" Spike demanded narrowing his eyes as he watched the old man suspiciously. "Teleport?"

"I guess," Doc said airily as he turned to look at him. "You know, if you're in that much of a hurry..."

Spike sighed heavily as he pulled out a small axe from his coat. "You're lying," he said calmly. "What's more, I believe you're standing right in front of the very thing I need."

Doc smiled and said, "Well..." before lunging forward, his mouth opening to shoot out a long tongue. Spike dodged swiftly, the axe slicing upwards and through the tongue causing Doc to let out a scream of pain as he swung at the Cockney vamp. Cursing, the bleached blonde managed to cut off the creature's head and watched as it fell into the fireplace, blue blood staining the floor.

Stumbling over to the chest, he picked up the box and muttered, "Whatever this is, it's something worth dying for..." as he walked out of the apartment.

--

Luna stepped down into the foyer as Buffy looked up from the living room. The Seer's face had returned to its normal color and she had changed into tight blue jeans and a long-sleeved brown V-neck with her regular black combat boots. Her hair was pulled into a tight braid and she wore a simple silver cross around her neck that swayed as she walked into the living room, saying, "The others?"

"Giles and Willow are researching," Buffy said wearily. "Tara finished cooking so if you're hungry there's food in the kitchen. Spike went to go see if he could dig up any information on where Glory's doing this ritual..."

"Anya and Xander?"

Buffy shrugged listlessly and Luna nodded, figuring the ex-demon had dragged the Zeppo off for some pre-apocalyptic sex. She sighed and rubbed a hand across her eyes as she said, "Guess we should rally the troops."

"Yeah," Buffy said quietly. "Guess we should."

The two sisters nodded and then, uncomfortable silence fell as they both looked away from one another. Buffy squirmed as Luna studied her nails silent and then, the Slayer spoke up, saying hesitantly, "I know I haven't treated you very well..."

"Buffy-"

"And I'm sorry," she said. "I think about what I've gone through and how I would have felt if I had to do it alone, and I can't. If Giles and the others hadn't come into my life, I would probably be dead. But I'm not because I've got ties to them."

"Quoting Spike?" Luna said amused and the Slayer shrugged, a smile tugging her lips. "He's right sometimes," she said. "But don't tell him I said so." Buffy took a deep breath and continued, saying, "I told you thank you in the RV but I didn't get to finish. Dawn looks up to you because you don't protect from the world. You want to show it to her and I hope you can someday, show it to her. I think it would be great."

"It might a problem," Luna said as she glanced at her. "Because I don't think we'd have nearly as much fun if the oldest of us wasn't along for the ride."

"Oh, _now_ you're going to joke about my age?" Buffy said mock-outraged and the two dissolved into giggles as a tentative bond was formed. Sighing, the Slayer said softly, "Thank you Luna. You have done so much for Dawn and for me. I don't think we would have been able to handle everything with Mom dying and now..."

"Spike said your mom was an amazing woman," Luna said smiling slightly. "I kinda took his cue."

"I think Summers women are all amazing," Buffy said simply. "You included."

The smile that lit up Luna's face made Buffy's breath catch; it transformed her into something entirely different from the silent girl that she normally was. It made her seem younger than her age but Buffy remembered then that Luna was only seventeen...

'_She's only a baby,_' the Slayer realized with a jolt. '_Just like Dawnie_...'

She hadn't really let that thought occur to her; so intent was she on making sure Dawn wasn't in danger with Luna, that she had forgotten that Luna was actually in danger herself. The Seer was always so self-assured that Buffy forgot she was only two years older than Dawn and two years younger than herself...

'_I_ _am so horrible..._'

"You're not horrible," Luna said amused startling Buffy. "You're human. Well, super human. Meta-human, maybe? What would you classify us as?"

Buffy laughed and said, "You didn't happen to meet Riley did you?"

"Ugh, no talking of the Initiative, please," she retorted with disgust. "I'd hate to think what they would have done if they'd managed to capture Dawn or you or me."

Buffy's eyes widened at that thought. "But we're human," she protested although the words felt false in her mouth. "They wouldn't have..." she trailed off uncertainly at the look on Luna's face as the Seer turned her head away, pained.

"Yes," she said simply. "They would have."

Before Buffy could ask what she meant, the front door opened admitting Spike and Xander. Luna didn't look at the latter of the two merely said to Spike, "Anything?"

The Cockney vampire held up the box he had gotten and said, "Don't know what it is but it's somethin' which is better than nothin', yeah?"

Luna nodded and looked at Xander for a few seconds as Willow came into the room. Finally, she said, "I don't like either of you. And I don't trust you either. You may think you have the best of intentions but I've learned that people with good intentions are just as dangerous as those with bad ones. Stay away from me. Buffy and Dawn can make their own choices when it comes to the two of you..."

She looked at Willow, eyes flickering silver briefly. "But the bridges we might have built were burnt the second you set that spell." She flexed her fingers, revealing silver light as she said, "You try anything like that against my sisters again Willow, not even your Goddess will save you."

Then, she took the box from Spike and went into the dining room to give them to Giles. Xander and Willow both had expressions of shock and fear written on their faces as they turned to Buffy, who had been silent. Finally, Xander said, "And you're not going to defend Willow?"

Buffy let out a snort, rubbing her hands over her face before dropping them into her lap. She looked at Spike and the vampire nodded before leaving the room, unspoken communication floating in the air. Rubbing the palm of her hands on her jean clad thighs, the Slayer said, "You guys have been there for me since the beginning and I can't ever repay you for it."

At the smug look in Willow's eyes and the look of satisfaction in Xander's, Buffy felt her throat tighten. God, what had happened to them? She wondered as she stood up, going over to her weapons chest. When had they become strangers to her?

She opened the lid, pulling out two short swords and her crossbow, saying quietly, "But I shouldn't have too repay you for anything." She turned to look at them. "I'm the Slayer. That's never gonna change. I'm never gonna be normal. I understand that now."

"Buffy," Willow said stepping forward. "That's crap! Just because Luna feels that way-"

"It's not Luna," Buffy interrupted her. "It's _me_, Wills. _This is who I am._ I am the Slayer. I will _always_ be the Slayer. And as much as it hurts to say it, you and Xander can't understand what that means. You may be a witch, a powerful witch, but you don't know what it means to control that. You told me once that your power is about emotional control." She shook her head. "You wanted to help and instead, my sister is gone."

"Willow didn't mean for that to happen," Xander said quietly and Buffy laughed, throwing her head back. "She never does, does she Xan?" she asked harshly. "When Oz left, Willow didn't _mean_ for any of that to happen, but it did. When Angel had his soul restored, I still had to kill him, no matter what she _meant_. The both of you have done more painful things against me that anyone I've ever faced."

"Spike tried to kill you," Xander threw back at her. "I don't even know why we didn't stake him when he first came with the chip."

"This isn't about Spike," Buffy said through clenched teeth. "This is about the two of you wanting me to do what _you_ want. I dated a normal guy and he left. Riley couldn't handle that I'm stronger than him. That I was Chosen. And you guys can't handle it either."

"Do you think that that makes you better than us?" Willow demanded angrily as Tara came into the living room, stopping as she realized what was happening. "Because you were lucky?"

"No," Buffy said as she watched Luna and Spike in the dining room. "I think it makes me better because I don't interfere with your lives." She looked at them. "I could have told you Wills that you weren't gay, that you didn't love Tara but I didn't. Meanwhile, you both told me to forget to Angel. To move on. To find a normal guy." She shook her head. "I didn't want that. I wanted for the two of to understand."

Buffy rubbed a hand across her eyes, saying, "When this is over, I want the two of you to leave me alone. To get on with your lives. Leave Sunnydale if you want, I don't care." She looked at them, hazel eyes sad. "But I can't give away my heart and soul to you guys anymore. There's nothing left to give away."

Then, she left the room, brushing past a stunned Xander and Willow. Tara immediately went after her but paused as she saw Spike follow the Slayer into the kitchen. Sighing, she turned and went the table, pulling up a book to study while Luna got up and left to go to the bathroom.

The Seer paused on the stairs as her vision grew light and then, she smiled secretly as she saw Spike and Buffy in her mind's eye. Marks were prominent on their necks and they glittered golden as she opened her eyes and murmured, "Well, she found her man..." as she continued up the stairs.

--

Spike shielded his last cigarette with his hand, the flame lighting up his features briefly as Buffy sat on the steps. He leaned against the edge of the porch, blowing smoke in the air before speaking up, "We just need a couple of short swords. Crossbow should work for Glinda and the Whelp. Neither of them are much of a fighter..."

"Spike," Buffy said softly, staring out across the sky. "We're not all gonna make it. You know that, right?"

Spike shrugged. "Always knew I'd go down fighting," he said simply as he moved over to sit beside the Slayer. Her lips curved slightly at his comment and she turned to look at him seriously as she said, "I'm counting on you. To protect her."

He looked at her, blue eyes brilliant in the moonlight. "Till the end of the world," he said quietly as he reached out and touched her cheek. "Even if that happens to be tonight."

Tears filled Buffy's eyes and she whispered, "Thank you."

He shrugged. "No thanks needed pet," he said quietly as he snuffed out his cigarette. "Already got it from you with the staying in your house." He pulled his hand away from her face and Buffy surprised him by grabbing it in her own. He blinked curiously as she turned his hand over, palm up, tracing the lines as she said softly, "I'm sorry. For being such a bitch to you without reason. It was rude of me and my mother would have killed me for being rude to her favorite hot chocolate buddy."

"Loved your mum like she was my own," Spike said honestly as he studied her golden head. "She was a lady, through and through."

"Do you think," Buffy said, her voice small like a child's. "She would be proud of me?"

"Oh, pet," Spike said warmly as she lifted her eyes to peer at him. "You and the Bit were her whole world."

The tears she had been holding spilled over and Spike gently wiped them away, saying, "You Summers girls. Something about you that makes you all good seeds. I know I'm a monster but Joyce treated me like a man and that..." he trailed off, dropping his eyes. "That was everything."

Buffy studied him as they sat together in comfortable silence. When had this vampire, she wondered, become such an integral part of her life? When had she woken up in the morning and thought to herself that she had a story to tell Spike? When had he become part of her family?

"Buffy?"

Spike's voice startled her briefly and she blinked, meeting his blue eyes. Curiosity and something akin to hope was written in them and she smiled slightly before saying, "Thank you..." as she leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

Surprise and hope flared in Spike's chest as he shut his eyes to enjoy the moment. Buffy murmured as Spike probed her mouth with his tongue, smiling to himself as she let out a dreamy mewl as the kiss intensified. And then, she broke away, cheeks flushed and eyes glittering with quiet laughter as she said, "You know, _that_ is something I haven't forgotten from our engagement."

Spike chuckled as he cupped her cheek. "S'good to know," he said and Buffy hummed in agreement as he kissed her again.

--

Luna winced as she pressed a hand to her temples, the silver light of her eyes causing Tara to look at her with concern. Smiling at the white witch, the Seer turned to Giles and said, "So?" as Buffy and Spike entered the room at the same time as Willow and Xander. The Watcher hesitated but Buffy said firmly, "Giles, we need to know."

"Well," Giles said as he removed his glasses, causing dread to fill the Slayer's stomach. "According to these scrolls it's possible for Glory to be stopped."

"How?" the Seer said, a glint of something in her eyes that made him pause and study her for a moment. Giles hesitated and looked to Buffy, saying, "I'm afraid there's not much margin for error, Buffy."

"Meaning?" the Slayer said and Luna closed her eyes as Giles continued hastily, saying, "Glory plans to open a dimensional portal by way of ritual bloodletting. Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all realities will be ripped apart."

Horror was written on the faces of the others as the Watcher looked back down at the scrolls, adding, "Dimensions will pour into one another with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed and chaos will reign on Earth."

"How do we stop it?" Spike asked as Buffy stared at her Watcher blankly. Giles hesitated briefly before saying, "The portal will close once the blood is stopped. And the only way for that to happen is..." He swallowed heavily as he looked up at Buffy, who met his gaze unflinchingly.

"Buffy, the only way," he repeated. "Is to kill Dawn."

"No," she said flatly as she stepped back. "Go through it again."

"Buffy-"

"No," she repeated forcefully. "No, Giles, I will _not_ let this happen. I will not do this! I've sacrificed enough for this stupid planet but I will _not_ kill my sister!"

"Buffy," Giles began. "You don't understand. The key was living energy, it needed to be channeled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops, the energy's used up the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on Earth in the meantime."

"Why blood?" Xander piped up. "Why Dawn's blood?"

"It's always got to be blood," Luna murmured as she looked at him, a haunted look in her eyes. Xander sneered at her and nodded towards Spike as he said, "We're not discussing dinner."

Spike snorted. "Blood is _life_, lackbrain. Why do you think vampires eat it? It's what keeps you going. Makes you warm. Makes you hard. Makes you other than dead."

"Of course it's her blood," Luna said her voice soft and eyes glazed, as if she was remembering something. "It's what makes you breathe. What makes you worth it..." She shuddered and Buffy said, desperation written in her voice, "We stop Glory before the ritual. We have a few hours right?"

"If my calculations are right," Giles said but added, "But Buffy..."

"I don't want to hear it," she cut him off.

"I understand that," Giles began but the Slayer spun to face him, saying, "No! No, you _don't_ understand. We are _not_ talking about this!"

"Yes," Giles shouted causing the others to start in surprise. "We bloody well are!"

Silence fell; the others watched the Slayer and Watcher for a few seconds as Giles deflated, saying, "If Glory begins the ritual, if we can't stop her..."

"Say it," Buffy whispered her eyes wide and filled with angry teras. "Say it. We're bloody well talking about this. Tell me to kill my sister."

"She's not your sister," Giles said looking at her and then glancing briefly at Luna. Pain flared in Buffy's eyes and Luna flinched as well as she straightened up, saying harshly, "You Watchers. You stand by and watch Slayers give up their lives, their _souls_ for this world." She shook her head, jaw clenching as she said, "I see you come near Dawn, I won't hesitate to kill you."

Willow and Xander began to protest as Giles blanched but the Seer wasn't finished. She straightened up and said, "Anyone comes near Dawn to do her harm, I will kill them." Her eyes flared brightly as she added darkly, "And I know Buffy won't stop me."

The Scoobies, minus Tara, turned towards the Slayer. She looked back at them and said softly, "I love you all but I'm sorry..." before turning and walking back out of the room. Luna watched Spike go after her and then turned to the others, saying, "Right. We need the Dagon Sphere. And Olaf's hammer?" She frowned, adding, "You people seem to have some interesting adventures on a day to day basis."

As Tara went to get her coat so she could leave for the Magic Box, Giles faced Luna and said, "I imagine you hate me right now."

"I didn't like you to begin with," the Seer replied smartly as she turned and went into the living room. Giles followed, saying, "I love Dawn but I've sworn to protect this sorry world, and sometimes-"

"That means saying and doing what other people can't," Luna finished as she turned to look at him, hand in the weapons chest. "What they shouldn't have too." She smiled briefly and said, "Don't worry, Giles. You won't have to do a damn thing." She pulled out a sword and held it out to him, adding, "It's not your blood the portal needs."

"I beg your pardon?" he said frowning as he took the sword and Luna laughed as she shut the chest, the front shutting behind Tara, Willow, and Xander. "Don't worry," she said walking past him and going up the stairs. "I'll take care of it."

Giles frowned deeply as he looked up after the young woman, his mind racing with questions.

And across town, a Key was prepared.

_Next, Chapter Ten: And You Must Live..._


	10. Chapter 10: And You Must Live

_Chapter Ten: And You Must Live_

Dawn looked up as the door opened again, Ben stepping in hesitantly. He held out a wad of cloth, saying, "They said you have to put this on...for the ceremony."

She tilted her chin up as she said, "What if I don't?"

Ben sighed deeply as he said, "Come on, just..."

"What if I don't like the color?" Dawn challenged and Ben said quietly, "Look I wish there was another way."

"And I wish," Dawn shot back as hatred dripped from her voice. "That you'd fall on your head and drown in your own barf but I guess we're both disappointed."

"It'll be quick," he offered after a moment. "I think."

A minion who had been guarding the door piped up, saying, "Actually sir, the bleeding is quite a slow process to give the portal time to-"

"Thank you!" Ben interrupted hastily as he realized Dawn's eyes had widened in shock and horror at the words the creature was spouting. "For the information." He turned to Dawn, adding, " I'll do what I can to..."

"Change."

"What?"

"Change," Dawn repeated. "Be _her. _I don't want to look at you."

"Dawn," he said desperately. "I don't think you want-"

"Be Glory," she said again. "Be Glory." As Ben looked at her helplessly, she began screaming, "Be Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!"

Ben protested, shouting, "Will you stop..." He changed. "Shouting already?" Glory finished with a frown as Dawn scowled at her hatefully. The Hellgod grunted, cracking her neck as she said, "Huh, so, what's the hubbub bub?"

She shook out the cloth, revealing a medieval-style dress in a maroon color. Wrinkling her nose briefly in distaste, she looked at Dawn and said, "What do you got against old Benji?"

"He's a monster," Dawn retorted sullenly as she glared at the clothing the Hellgod tossed at her. "At least you're upfront about it."

"Don't be so hard on the boy," Glory said dismissively as she turned and picked up a dark blue robe. She pulled it on over her clothing, adding, "He just wants to live; most guys would do the same. Besides he's probably the reason your sisters and their little friends are still alive." She looked at Dawn with a grim smile. "That little _nagging pinch_ of humanity that makes me go for the hurt instead of the kill." The Hellgod shuddered. "Lowering myself to trading blows with the Slayer when I should have just put my first through her heart..."

"Or maybe you just can't take them," Dawn shot back and Glory laughed loudly, turning to face the Key completely. "Funny thing," she said as she reached out and yanked Dawn to her feet by her shoulders. "You've been here a few hours now and I haven't seen _anyone_ galloping in to save you." She smirked. "They probably know what a terrible mistake that'd be."

"My sisters aren't afraid of you," Dawn spat and Glory giggled insanely as she whispered, "Oh, no, sweetie baby. I'm talking about the ritual. 'Cause you know I bleed you, the portals open, but once you die, they close. The faster you die, the better for your sorry species."

Dawn swallowed, fear racing her veins as she clutched the dress to her chest, wincing in pain as Glory tightened her hands on her shoulders. "I'm betting Buffy knows that. Since she's not really your sister-"

Anger flared in Dawn's breast at that statement and she growled deep in her throat as her eyes flared bright green, causing Glory to step back with a cry of pain. The Hellgod stared at the girl for a few minutes before saying, "What in the hell?"

"She _is_ my sister," Dawn said lowly as she glared at the Hellgod. "And I hope you burn."

--

"Buffy?" Giles peered into the Slayer's bedroom, frowning deeply as Spike stepped away from the young woman. Irritation and anger flared in the Watcher's chest as he watched his Slayer smile up at Spike and murmur something he couldn't hear. The bleached blonde vampire nodded and kissed the Slayer's brow before walking past him.

Silently, he stood in her doorway and said after a moment, "You must hate me right now."

"Hate isn't a strong enough word," Buffy replied as she got up and went to her closet. Opening the door, she pulled out a pair of leather pants and turned to look at Giles. "This is how many apocalypses for us now?"

"Feels like a hundred," Giles admitted and Buffy nodded as she turned back to the closet.

"I've always stopped them. Always won. I sacrificed Angel to save the world and I loved him so much." She stared at herself in the mirror. "But I knew what was right. I don't have that anymore; I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away..."

"Buffy," Giles began but her next words stopped him cold.

"If I lose anyone else," she said turning to look at him. "I'm done with this. I'm quitting."

"Buffy," Giles said appalled. "You can't-"

"I can, Giles," Buffy said firmly. "And I will." She looked at the pants in her hands. "I need to change." She walked over to the door and gently, but firmly pushed him out of her bedroom. Giles stood in the hallway and closed his eyes turning to go back downstairs. He paused as he caught one of the oddest sights he had ever seen in his life.

Luna and Spike both stood in the doorway to Dawn's bedroom. The Seer was staring at the room with a blank expression on her features. The Cockney vampire was staring at the room with an expression of grief written on his own. The Seer inhaled sharply and exhaled, saying, "It's time..." as she turned, her eyes glittering silver as the Slayer stepped out of her bedroom, dressed from head to toe in black.

Meanwhile, across town, Dawn was being tied to the sacrificial post. She struggled, cursing as one of the little brown minions tightened the ropes and managed to kick one off the tower. Satisfaction filled her but she looked up at the sky, swallowing as the blood red color continued to grow darker as the seconds passed.

Softly, she whispered, "Help me."

--

Tara, Willow, and Xander all entered the house as the others came down. The white witch gently held out the Dagon sphere and the Seer's face relaxed as she took it, saying, "Thank you."

Buffy looked at them. "It's time," she said. "Everybody knows their jobs. Remember the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."

"Ditto," the Seer said as she walked out the front door, the Dagon sphere held tightly in her hands. The others looked at one another and followed, Spike muttering, "Not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?"

"We few," Giles said as he closed the door behind them. "We happy few."

"We band of buggered," the vampire finished as they followed the Slayer and Seer.

As they walked, Spike caught up to the Slayer and the Seer. He glanced at the two girls and smiled to himself at the identical expressions of grim determination on their faces. The Seer stopped suddenly and smiled wickedly as growling echoed in the dark night. She looked at the others and said simply, "Go."

At that moment, two Turok Han came slinking out of the shadows and Buffy cursed as she began to run, Spike and the others copying her movements. Luna smiled at the creatures, her eyes flaring silver as she said, "I'm in a hurry."

Then, a brilliant light erupted from where she stood.

--

The tower loomed over the city and Xander let out a squawk of "Shpadoinkle..." as Tara said worriedly, "What is that?"

"The portal must open up there," Giles said and Buffy nodded before looking at the others. Her eyes met Spike's briefly and she inhaled before turning back around, and walking forward. The minions all let out chittering cries as Glory turned to face the Slayer, frowning deeply as she said, "What hell are you doing here?"

"Well, gee," Buffy said innocently as she put her hands on her hips. "I thought I'd come join the party. I mean, it's a big day right?"

"If you think," the Hellgod began as she pulled of her robe to reveal the black dress beneath. "This will last more than eight seconds-"

"I noticed you're talking," Luna said as she appeared behind the Hellgod, the Dagon sphere glowing brightly in her hands. "Whereas in your position, I would attack her." The Seer smiled as the Hellgod turned to look at her. "Catch."

The Dagon sphere flew at the Hellgod, who caught it reflexively causing her to let out a groan of pain as the light inside of it wrapped itself around her. She cringed in pain as her minions scattered, some going towards the tower and others running at the Scoobies. Glory hissed as she dropped the sphere crushing it beneath her foot as Caleb's form appeared beside her.

"I'm a bit disappointed," the First said as he watched the Hellgod stagger sideways. "I mean, you're a Hellgod. Do something hellish."

Glory snarled at the First in reply as she spun to the Slayer who smiled politely. Luna let silver light filter out of her hands and swung her sword at the Hellgod as Buffy swung the hammer. As the the two sisters tag teamed the Hellgod, the others were occupied with the minions.

Spike cursed as he dodged a sword, his axe spinning in the air as he threw it at one that was sneaking up on Xander's back. He spun, fist reaching into the minion's chest and coming out through the other side. Muttering under his breath, he looked up as a scream came from above them.

Blue eyes widened as Dawn's screaming voice reached his ears. Luna flew past him at that moment, landing in a heap against a brick wall that fell on top of her. Cursing, he made his way over to the Seer, who groaned in pain as he managed to dig her out quickly. She hissed as he helped her to her feet, saying, "Dawn?"

Another scream came from above them and the two looked up as Buffy managed to back Glory into a corner. Luna cursed as the Hellgod straightened up, saying, "You know what? I'm feeling a little bored."

"Shit," Luna said as she watched Glory pick Buffy up by the throat and begin to choke her. The Seer began to run as Spike did the same towards the tower. As she tackled the Hellgod, letting energy crackle around her, she shouted, "Go! Get Dawn!" to her sister. The Slayer gasped for air as she stumbled to her feet, running towards the tower behind Spike.

Glory swung, Luna spinning to avoid the bunch, and managed to kick out the legs from underneath her opponent. She jumped back as a chain was swung at her and managed to catch it with her hands, pulling Glory close and smiling as her eyes flared silver.

A scream ripped itself from the Hellgod's mouth as the energy wrapped itself around her, causing her to gasp in pain. "You're not the brightest god in the heavens, are you?" Luna asked as Glory clawed at her hands, her face shifting into Ben's face. Luna smiled grimly as the intern gasped, "Please, don't..."

"You sacrificed my _sister_," she hissed furiously. "So you cannot expect me to have mercy." She began to press down on the young man's throat, feeling the bone begin to give away. She didn't see Giles watching from afar, regret and acceptance written on his features. The First appeared behind her, laughing softly as he crouched down. "Do it," it said in Jamie's voice. "Kill him. Kill him like he would have killed Dawn. Like Caleb killed me."

"I am not yours," she snapped as she turned to glare at the apparition. The First cackled with laughter as Luna's eyes narrowed angrily but a scream tore through the air causing her to look up. Horror filled her as she watched a black and blonde figure go flying down to the ground. "No," she whispered as she saw the flicker of light in the sky. "No!"

Luna rose, dropping Ben to the ground as she ran towards the tower; blood and fear pumping in her veins. She ran, her heart pounding in her ears as she remembered the vision, the light...

_No, it won't end like _this

--

Doc snarled at Buffy, who narrowed her eyes as she studied the large knife in the demon's hands. She staggered to the side as the creature opened its mouth, Dawn sobbing in the background as blood pooled at her feet. The air crackled around them, causing the demon to laugh as he said, "Well, look at that? It's time."

"Buffy!" Dawn screamed as lighting shoots out of the portal. Below them, Luna let out a shriek of surprise as one of the bolts hit close to where she climbed. The Seer exhaled sharply and continued climbing, calling, "Dawn! Buffy!"

Doc lunged at Buffy again with the knife, the Slayer easily sidestepping his attack. Spinning, she kicked him hard in the jaw and the creature laughed as Luna appeared behind him. The Seer's eyes narrowed at the sight of the knife and she snarled, reaching out and grabbing the demon's neck.

A crack sounded as Doc's neck snapped and he was thrown off the roof without a sound. The two sisters turned to Dawn, Buffy stopping in shock as she saw a dragon hovering in the small portal. Luna tightened her mouth in grim acceptance as she hurried forward, saying, "Dawn..."

Buffy jerked out of shock as she also hurried forward, helping her untie Dawn. The trio stumbled, Dawn sobbing as she said, "It hurts..."

Behind them, the portal grew larger and Dawn turned her head to look at it. She gasped, saying, "Oh my God. It's started." The wind blew roughly around them, causing Dawn's hair to fly in her face as the other two watched in fascination. The Key stared, her eyes glittering green suddenly as she whispered, "It has to have the blood..."

Buffy's head snapped to the side to look at her and she gaped in shock. "No," she cried, grabbing Dawn's arms as the younger girl stepped foward. "No, Dawn, you don't have to do this!"

"Buffy," Dawn whispered as tears spilled down her face, meeting her sister's eyes. "I have to jump. The energy...look at what's happening..."

Tears of anguish slid down Buffy's face as her sister continued, saying, "I have to stop it."

Realization filled the Slayer's eyes and she swallowed as she met Dawn and Luna's gazes. The Seer was dead silent, her eyes blank as she met the Slayer's gaze steadily; something flickered in them that Buffy couldn't decipher as she said firmly, "Dawn."

Dawn's eyes widened as she realized what Buffy was going to say. "No!" she cried horrified. "Buffy, no!"

"Dawnie," she whispered softly. "I have too."

"No!"

"Listen to me," Buffy said urgently grabbing her by the shoulders. "Please, there's not a lot of time..."

"You're right," Luna's voice interrupted her, causing her to look at her. "There isn't."

Pain flared in Buffy's face as she spun around in a complete circle from Luna's punch, landing in a heap on the ground. The Seer winced as she pulled her hand back and looked at Dawn, who stared at her with her mouth open in shock. Gently, the Seer tapped her on the nose and said quietly, "Tell her that it's not her time to go, Dawn. Tell her that she's right; it's not just her blood. It's mine too."

"Luna?" Dawn asked her voice trembling as she realized what the other girl was going to do.

The Seer smiled as lighting crackled in the sky, green threads of energy floating into the air. She leaned foward and pressed a gentle kiss to Dawn's forehead, a silvery glow surrounding her as Dawn's body was outlined in green. The Key let out a gasp as the cuts on her flesh healed, Luna grimacing as they appeared on her own skin. She stepped away from Dawn and said, "Tell Buffy she has to let go. To love. To live. I wish I could have been there for you Dawn. I wish I could have had a real family with you and Buffy and Spike."

A sad smile lifted her lips as she said softly, "But it's not meant to be..."

"What?" Dawn gasped as Luna glanced over her shoulder at Buffy. Sadness and something like hope flared in the Seer's eyes as she said, "Tell her she's got so much more life to live. She's got so many people to love. And I'm not one for mushy scenes, but hey, I love you both. More than you'll ever realize or know."

Then, Luna turned and ran towards the edge of the tower. Buffy stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she groaned in pain. Dawn sank to her knees as tears blurred her vision. Luna turned briefly, spinning her body around so that she faced the other two girls, a smile on her features.

Energy crackled around the Seer as her eyes glittered on odd combination of silver and green. She fell off the tower, causing both girls to let out cries of horror as the lighting and energy crackled, writhing and spitting.

Pain flared inside her body, everything inside of her ached as she arched her back, mouth opening in a silent scream. She closed her eyes as more energy was poured into her, thinking, '_I told you didn't I? I created you Powers. I can stop your stupid plans for my sister's life. She deserves more than what you can give her._'

Her body bowed back, almost in half as the energy tore into her skin, Luna's breath caught in her throat as she spasmed once and then twice. She let out a rasp of air as her vision swam before her, her back slamming into something as darkness overcame her.

--

Buffy stirred, pain blooming in her body and in her face as she opened her eyes. Her breath caught as she watched Luna turn and run, her form outlined in green light as she threw herself in the air, a perfect swan dive off the tower. Swirls of silver and green energy collided as she hit the portal, and Buffy clung to Dawn as she tugged her off the tower, going down to the ground where they could be safe.

Dawn felt Buffy tugging on her hands, but kept her eyes trained on the form of her sister who had come into her life and given her someone to lean on. She watched as Luna's body flew through the air, grace written in each line, watched as the energy that was Luna and the energy that was her, twisted and turned around her body.

She can feel the pain in Luna's body as if it were own.

Dawn struggled, sobbing as she and Buffy stumbled down the stairs, the lighting and energy crackling around them violently. The wind died down suddenly, the energy and everything gone as the portal closed. As soon they reached the ground, Dawn jerked as suddenly that _connection _that she has always known was there, vanished. Snapping into nothing as the remains of the body she looked for is nothing, and there is only darkness and memories of wise words, and unfathomably sad eyes. Later, she will find Luna's cigarettes sitting on her dresser, left in her haste to rescue her. To save the sister she has dreamt of but never really known.

There is no body.

It's as if she has never existed.

Buffy felt her body sag with exhaustion, and Dawn crumbled to the ground as she said brokenly, "Luna. Luna. Luna..." over and over, and she sank to the ground as she gathered her sister, her _only _sister, into her arms and grieved. She can feel Spike hover behind them and reaches out to him with one hand, trembling as his broken fingers entwined with hers, and she mourned for her small family that is now broken into pieces.

Her sister is dead. Dead. No longer will she appear at the house with a look of curiosity in her eyes, looking at everything with awe and wistfulness. No longer will she say her name as if she's said it all her life. No longer will she look at her with a small smile as if the act is too foreign for her face. No longer will she ask about Joyce and what it was like to have a mother like her. No longer will she put everything on the line for Dawn...

Her sister is dead.

And Buffy's tears taste like ashes.

Dawn feels Buffy gathering her close and Spike is there, a silent and sad shadow to her grief. She feels Buffy's grief, tangible and _there_, and she wondered how she is supposed to go on with her life knowing that her sister is dead.

Her sister is dead. Beautiful, witty, lost, alone, and craving love Luna is dead.

And Dawn mourned for the sister she never really got to understand.

--

_Three Weeks Later, _

_Los Angeles, California_

The alley was silent and deserted, the darkness of the California night hiding that sometimes the worst things happen in dark alleys. The sound of mice squeaking and glass breaking down the block broke the silence as a tiny sliver of silver-green light sparked to life in the air. The energy moves along the alley walls and cement ground as if it has a mind of its own. It curls around as _something _shifts through it, a black hulking shape that takes off into the night towards the alley entrance.

The portal opens wider, revealing a vast wasteland with red sky and a feminine yet callused hand grips the edge of the portal like a doorframe. The hand curled around it as the energy hummed, a voice saying harshly, "Goddamnit!"

The energy fluctuates, like a heartbeat as a figure falls through, a female form. The woman's hair is matted and dirty, the color a dark shade of blonde. She wears a shapeless brown coat and torn jeans, nails dirty and crusted over with dried blood. She lay on the floor of the alley for a few minutes, panting heavily as she muttered, "Fucking hell..."

The black figure from before stops at the edge of the alley, turning to snarl at the woman. The woman stiffened immediately, getting onto her hands and knees as she said lowly, "Kitty..." as she peered at it through a mass of hair. Hazel eyes glittered as she smiled, revealing white teeth as she said, "Growl..." as the black figure loped back towards her in a blur.

Meanwhile, Angel strolled down the sidewalk, searching for the vampire pack he and his team had been hunting for a few days now. He paused, frowning as his nostrils flared at the scent of fresh blood before taking off to his left.

The woman cursed as she ran awkwardly down the sidewalk, her left leg stiff beneath her. She muttered under her breath as she wrapped her left hand around her right arm, saying, "Shit, shit, shit..." as she skidded painfully around a corner. A roar sounded behind her and she turned to face the demon she had been fighting, saying smartly, "Still alive?"

Angel rounded the corner at full speed, almost tripping over himself to see the oddest thing. A woman stood proudly despite her obvious injuries as a demon he had never seen before let out a roar of rage and flew at her, claws stretched out to kill her once and for all. Before he could shout out a warning, the woman's eyes glittered silver and she became enveloped in a silver light. Throwing his hands up, Angel winced at the light as he heard a scream of pain.

The light died and he blinked owlishly as he stared at the woman, who panted heavily as she leaned against the wall. She blinked at him, hazel eyes wide as she breathed, "Home sweet home..." before her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell into unconsciousness.

Alarmed, Angel went over to her, fumbling for his cell phone. Thankful that Gunn had programmed it to his voice, he called the others to pick him up and then studied the young woman before him. She looked to be about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with a full mouth and straight nose. Her eyes were shut, the lashes dark against her tan skin as she breathed deeply. A scar ran from the top of her right temple to the edge of her jaw line, giving her a rough look. She was still devastatingly beautiful despite the scar, the darkness of her hair contrasting sharply against her skin.

Angel inhaled and his eyes widened as a familiar scent filled his nostrils; sweat, copper, and spices tinged the girl's skin but what he knew and recognized was the scent of someone miles away in Sunnydale.

_Buffy._

"Who are you?" he whispered to the unconscious girl, who stirred long enough to reveal a pair of shockingly familiar eyes and to say one single word. She smiled briefly as she murmured a name that gave him even more question before slipping back into unconsciousness:

"_Liam."_

_To Be Continued in Book Two: The Key_...


End file.
